Process Industry Informer February 2018

www.processindustryinformer.com

FEBRUARY 2018 Volume 14 No.1

THE UK’S LEADING PUBLICATION SERVING THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES

A close look at the future of manufacturing In print | Online | Mobile - The UK’s No.1 Media for the Manufacturing Process Industries

contents

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featured articles

product sections 4-5 News & Events

Digital Twinning: The Future of Manufacturing?

6-8 Applications 10 Health & Safety

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10 Analysers

IT Emperor’s New Clothes & other stories about Cyber Security in Industry

14 Test & Measurement 14 Tanks & Vessels

Solving the UK productivity gap with robotics

14 Enclosures 14 Spectrometers

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15 Environmental Management Systems

The Importance of ‘Good Data’ when Tuning PID Loops

18 Heat Transfer & Energy

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(incl. Pumps & Valves) 21 BPMA NEWS 33-35 Process Measurement

Editor Phil Black: philblack@piimag.com Publisher/Advertising Manager Peter Ullmann: peterullmann@piimag.com SALES & Marketing Manager Guy Ullmann: guyullmann@piimag.com CIRCULATION Manager Jean Caunin: info@piimag.com Office Manager Diane Ullmann: dianeullmann@piimag.com Art Direction Talita Soncini talita@piimag.com

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Stay in control of dosing with PC pumps

WHY NOZZLE SELECTION IS CRITICAL FOR COATING APPLICATIONS

& Instrumentation 39 SHAPA NEWS

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ARE MANUFACTURERS READY FOR RANSOMWARE?

17 Solids Handling 20 Fluids & Liquids

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If you don’t ask the right questions – You don’t get the right answers

All product announcements published in Process Industry Informer are paid for. All copy submitted for publication in Process Industry Informer must be legal and must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice and is accepted for publication, or not, at the publishers’ absolute discretion. When deemed necessary all copy may be edited and classified at the publishers’ discretion. All material contained in Process Industry Informer is published in good faith, but it is emphasised that the publishers do not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any advertisement or message published (nor is any kind of warranty expressed or implied by such publication) and that the publishers specifically disclaim all and any liability to advertisers, readers and user of any kind for loss or damage of any nature

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NEWS & EVENTS SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR FOR BILFINGER TEBODIN UNITED KINGDOM The UK office of global consulting and engineering firm, Tebodin, part of Bilfinger, has celebrated their first year of operations with new projects within the industrial and food sectors which will pave the way for further expansion in 2018.

Ian Dunkley, Managing Director of Bilfinger Tebodin United Kingdom, who was appointed in December 2016 commented, ’It’s been a fantastic year for us with a ten-fold increase in staff numbers, a move to a new office in Warrington and an increasing order book that bodes well for next year when we plan to open a North East England office on Teesside.’ ’Tebodin has built a good reputation for their expertise across many process sectors, with a strong client orientation. We listen to understand local needs and requirements and then pro-actively suggest solutions which we design and deliver. We’re a new name in the UK, but not a new business. So we’ve not only been able to offer a local UK presence to the global frameworks and partnerships our parent company has established, but also attract new clients from various sectors who wish to access the global experience we can offer.’

With 40 engineers of diverse disciplines, Bilfinger Tebodin United Kingdom is currently working for a wide variety of global and national companies. The projects in the food & beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical and industrial sectors consist of design and delivery, at stages from initial FEED studies to commissioning new plants.

Ian Dunkley said, Whilst major projects in food & beverage packaging and recycling of construction materials sectors probably provide the majority of our current turnover, however we see our next expansion into the Teesside area to provide a local presence for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Health & safety and environmental factors are also becoming increasingly important so that we’re also always on the look out for suitably qualified staff to add to our expertise.’

For more information contact Tebodin UKE-mail: ian.dunkley@tebodin.com Tel: 01925 649305

NEW EXTRUSION INNOVATION CENTRE OPENS A new extrusion Innovation Centre - where companies can develop new products and processes, produce samples, or conduct feasibility trials - has been opened by Baker Perkins.

It is a dedicated resource for chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical, packaging, coating and construction materials trials, particularly for companies exploring a change from batch to continuous processing.

Facilities in the new Innovation Centre include a Baker Perkins MPX24 Integra twin-screw extruder with integrated feeder, chill roll and flaking unit. The hot-melt extrusion process available is appropriate for any application that involves mixing and thermal processing of a wide range of granules, pellets and powders.

These comprehensive facilities are located at Peterborough in the UK, and can be used to source thorough data that enables smooth, uncomplicated commissioning of new equipment or development of new products. A full set of analytical instruments are available to check consistency and quality of the product.

For more information contact Baker Perkins, Peterborough, Cambs.

Tel. 01733 283000 | Email: keith.graham@bakerperkins.com | Web: www.bakerperkins.com

A leading supplier of packaging solutions has been awarded the BRC Global Standard’s highest grade following an extensive audit process Peterlee-based packaging specialist, Encore Packaging Solutions, that produces solid board boxes, direct mail packaging and e-commerce solutions, as well as corrugated packaging, hopes the impressive accreditation will enable the Company to expand its services.

The BRC Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials, the first packaging standard in the world to be recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarking committee, has been designed to assist in the production of safe packaging materials as well as managing product quality to meet customers’ requirements.

Laura Croisdale, group environmental & quality manager for Encore Packaging Solutions, said: “To achieve AA grade in our first audit by BRC is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees.

“Food packaging is a service we have looked to grow for some time now, and we are confident that the BRC standard will allow us to do so. We always strive to meet the needs of our customers, so to be recognised for our commitment to quality and safe packaging, will give them confidence that they are working with a trusted, reputable provider.”

In line with BRC Global Standard’s requirements, Encore will have its next audit in 12 months.

To find out more about Encore and its services, please visit: www.theencoregroup.co.uk/ For more information on BRC Global Standards, visit: www.brcglobalstandards.com/brc-global-standards/packaging/

NEW TRAINING COURSE from MCP Managing Engineering Stores Can be a Costly Headache!

In a typical manufacturing or process-led environment, expenditure on spare parts and engineering materials is between 35% and 45% of the total asset care budget. Improving the use and cost of spare parts will ensure inventory is kept to a minimum. Quick turnaround is a key feature of cost management.

A complete spare parts and materials approach applied to an average situation can result in 20-25% stock level reductions and improved service levels.

Delegates will gain an understanding of what category of stockholding is required, stores and purchasing policies, control systems and supplier management.

Course Overview Course Type: Maintenance & Asset Management Qualification: City and Guilds Accredited Certificate. (Spares and Materials Management (Maintenance Repair & Operating Materials) Venue: Solihull Training Centre (MCP Headquarters) Duration: 2 Days, 5-6 th March 2018 Cost: £610 + VAT Who Should Attend?: Anyone with responsibility for engineering materials and spare parts, looking to gain best practice knowledge and gain substantial cost savings The Course will Focus on: - The role of stores - Stores layout and access control 04

- Supply Chain Management - Classification and standard description methods of parts - Accountability for inventory management - Setting objectives for parts and stores management - Determining the right levels of stock (setting minimum and maximum levels ) - Purchasing policies - How to use Computerised Maintenance Management Systems to manage and control parts - Receiving, Storing and Issuing of parts - Performance measures and key indicators - Outsourcing versus in-house stores management BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW! 5 - 6 March, 2018 Solihull Training Centre (MCP Headquarters) £610 + VAT For more information contact: John Saysell: jsaysell@mcpeurope.com Head of Business Development and Training Tel: +44 (0)121 506 9030 Mobile: +44 (0)7710 348761 Web: www.mcpeurope.com MCP Consulting Group Ltd, Blythe Valley Innovation Centre, Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull.

West Midlands B90 8AJ PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

NEWS & EVENTS Processors Benefit from Hosokawa’s Smart Manufacturing Journey The government’s Made Smarter call for increased adoption of industrial digitalisation, to boost UK manufacturing has launched process technology experts, Hosokawa Micron Ltd on an Industry 4 I.R journey that will allow them to deliver advanced solutions to their existing customers and a broader industry base.

Iain Crosley, MD, Hosokawa Micron Ltd shares details of their journey. ‘Our smart manufacturing journey started in our own contract manufacturing facility in Runcorn, within the dedicated food processing unit, where we support customer requirements for the processing of niche R&D projects or for customers lacking appropriate systems to handle certain foodstuffs, such as those containing allergens, to bulk processing to meet peaks in demand, Hosokawa work with a wide range of customers to meet the specific requirements of each.

Additionally, our contract manufacturing team engage with customers to support the development of bespoke processes or machine acquisition to deliver competitive advantage.

We have committed to a major digital strategy for contract manufacturing, making significant investment to further optimise production and processing performance through the application of industrial internet of things (IIOT) technologies, always in conjunction with our human knowledge and expertise.’

This simplified “understand, monitor and control” approach is enabled by Hosokawa combining operational data from smart sensors with machine to machine (M2M) communication and unique process optimisation software.

‘The ongoing data analysis will provide important insight into all aspects of the plant’s production performance and the status of production assets and aid strategic decision making, scheduling, predictive maintenance and operational availability. For our contract food processing customers, an immediate benefit has been a reduction in out of specification material, with us now getting it right more than 98% of the time.’

Building on the operational benefits and knowledge gained from this project, Hosokawa recently launched a new business unit, Hosokawa Gen4, to support companies within the process sector to develop their own digital strategy and realise the potential of IIoT technologies. Hosokawa’s distinctive ability in blending human expertise with data analysis, knowledge capture and its application within the process environment, sets them apart from others in the marketplace.

Hosokawa Gen4 is now working with production managers across all tiers of the food and wider processing industries to offer a flexible, cost effective way for them to maximise the opportunities of ‘data driven manufacturing’ to enhance continuous improvement techniques to maximise yield, reduce waste and save energy.

Hosokawa Gen4 Global Business Manager, Paul Gilroy says, ‘If you want to find out more about our solutions and how Hosokawa Gen4 can help increase plant availability, maintainability and reliability, I will be happy to speak with you and share our experiences. Download our free Remote Monitoring App and see for yourself how new digital technologies are applied in our own contract processing facility.’

For further information/reader enquiries, please contact: Hosokawa Micron Ltd, Rivington Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, Tel: +44 (0) 1928 755100 Email: info@hmluk.hosokawa.com or Web: www.hosokawa.co.uk FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

NEW LEADERSHIP AT MOTIVAIR On 1st December, Iain Beadle joined Motivair as CEO. Iain has an extensive background in building and growing B2B industrial service organisations, including the last 5 years as a Managing Director at Synectics plc.

Iain brings experience in the implementation and delivery of large scale Technology Engineering led projects, emergency service and PPM based contracts and the efficient deployment of rapid response engineering, all of which represent the core product offering at Motivair Compressors.

Iain commentated “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Motivair through its next stage of development. Motivair’s market and customer value proposition are extremely strong and I look forward to meeting some of our customers and suppliers over the next few months.”

For further information please contact Jason Vigrass, Marketing Manager, Motivair Compressors Ltd, Motivair House, Crompton Court, Attwood Road, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 3GG. Tel: 0845 009 6161. Email: jvigrass@motivair.co.uk or visit www.motivair.co.uk

BOGE SCOOPS TOP GERMAN INDUSTRY 4.0 AWARD Demonstrating its strong commitment to the digital transformation of industry and the concepts of Industry 4.0, BOGE has scooped a major industrial award at this year’s Diamond Star Excellence in Business Awards - Best Industrial Business Solution 4.0 category.

Organised by the leading German business publication, Handelsblatt, this award recognises the customer service offering of BOGE’s Continuous Improvement Programme (BOGE CIP) and was won amid stiff competition from companies including Siemens and Audi.

The BOGE CIP is a key element of BOGE selectair, a comprehensive service programme for customers of BOGE’s High Speed Turbo compressor systems, which is tailored to individual customer needs. The programme aims to work closely with customers to ensure a continuous improvement path is in place that not only works to prolong the life of the compressor system, but which also delivers operational benefits throughout the compressor’s life cycle.

For more information contact BOGE Compressors Ltd, Huddersfield Tel: +44 (0) 1484-719921 Fax: +44 (0) 1484 712516 Web: www.boge.co.uk

Nuova Elva announces major rebrand and launches new website Nuova Elva is pleased to announce a new corporate identity and the relaunch of its website www.nuovaelva.it, reflecting the evolution of the company and its vision for the future in the era of Industry 4.0, whilst maintaining the professionalism, transparency and flexibility that have always distinguished it in the marketplace.

Over the past 25 years, Nuova Elva has continuously expanded its presence to become a leading provider of products and services in the ever-evolving field of industrial automation. The company is now the partner of choice for hundreds of organisations in Italy and abroad who have come to appreciate its efficiency and accuracy in business operations. Besides the rebrand and new-look digital platform, which includes a presence on the major social networks, Nuova Elva also unveils a new corporate brand, AutomationPlus.

With its specific focus on Engineering, Procurement and Construction, AutomationPlus designs and engineers solutions to improve the industrial processes of organisations operating in the major industry sectors, from food, plastic and textile, to petroleum, automotive and metallurgical.

“The evolution of our brand identity and the reworking of our logo showcases our company as a modern, competitive and progressive organisation,” said Fabrizio Beldì, CEO of Nuova Elva. “The new website, with its clean lines, intuitive navigation and easy-to-use online store, underscores our commitment to providing our customers with an unrivalled level of service.”

He added: “We are very excited with the launch of our new brand AutomationPlus and we look forward to providing our commercial partners with an enhanced level of service that they can rely on. “We firmly believe in technology as a precious tool for the progressive improvement of living conditions and a safer, cleaner life for a sustainable future, enhancing the mind and spirit of mankind while leaving heavy and dangerous work to machines.”

For more information about the rebranding and new-look website, or for information about products and services, contact: E-mail: info@nuovaelva.it. | Web:www.nuovaelva.it | Web: www.automationplus.it

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APPLICATIONS AXION POLYMERS OFFERS NEW IMPROVED RECYCLED ABS GRADES

Axion Polymers has re-formulated its recycled ABS polymer product to give improved physical properties and a superior surface finish suitable for diverse applications from corner supports in window frames to furniture component parts.

In response to customer feedback, the Manchester-based plastics recycler has invested significantly in re-compounding its 100% recycled Axpoly® ABS 52 raw material to deliver a higher impact strength and a shinier, deeper-black finish. The new Axpoly® ABS grade reference is ‘ABS 52 1003’.

Recovered from the non-metallic waste fraction from endof-life vehicles, the Axpoly® ABS resins deliver a carbon footprint saving of ~90% when compared with virgin ABS made from petrochemical feedstocks. That level of saving is equivalent to driving a forty-foot lorry 45,000 miles, based upon a single 20-tonne order of Axpoly ABS. Continued process development, including a focus on purification and accurate quality analysis, is a key factor behind the polymer’s improved characteristics, according to Axion’s Product Development Technologist Mark Keenan.

He comments: “This has been confirmed by one of our customers who said it made a ‘massive difference’ in a visually-critical product. Another customer who sampled our new ABS grade told us ‘it works for us’ and wanted their 100-tonne order delivered as soon as possible.”

With its more consistent and better surface finish, the new ABS polymer is suitable for durable goods where higher strength and aesthetics are important customer requirements.

Applications include office and home furniture products and assembly parts for the construction sector, as well as a wide range of components for electrical goods.

Welcoming on-going customer feedback that ‘keeps the challenge of our business moving forward and driving growth’, Axion Director Keith Freegard says further investment will be made in staff and product development over the coming months.

“Our next priority is to focus on getting higher impact strengths for even tougher applications,” adds Keith. “Having experienced record sales in October and November, we’re looking forward to carrying on our profitable growth trend. So watch this space from early 2018 when we expect to add more grades to our growing ABS range.”

Axion Polymers is part of the Axion Group that develops and operates innovative resource recovery and processing solutions for recycling waste materials. The Group works with a wide range of clients within the recycling and process industries on the practical development of new processing and collection methods.

For more information, contact Axion Polymers Salford, Manchester Tel: 161 737 6124 E-mail: info@axiongroup.co.uk Web: www.axiongroup.co.uk 06

LANDIA CHOPPER PUMPS MAKE IT NUUK CLEAR IN GREENLAND In Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk (population approximately 17,500), pumps made by Landia have solved a troublesome clogging situation at an important pump station.

A common problem worldwide, even in this city that is home to one third of Greenland’s people, existing pumps were constantly getting clogged by items such as wet-wipes and sanitary products.

But after plumbing company HJ-TEK A/S installed two of Landia’s immersed chopper pumps in the pump well, the problem was quickly solved. Designed with a patented knife system, this Landia Chopper Pump is already proving extremely reliable, with the added bonus of it also reducing energy usage at the pump station by 50%.

Worldwide, an increasing number of Landia Chopper Pumps and Landia AirJets are being installed as the long-term solution to pump/lift station/wet well clogging, where they ensure that no blanket or crust forms. By continuously reducing the particle size of solids, call-outs by maintenance personnel are reduced to just routine inspections, creating significant savings on labour costs.

Furthermore, there is no longer a need for vac truck hire.

For more information contact Landia UK Ltd, Shropshire.

Tel: 01948 661200 |E-mail: info@landia.co.uk | Web: www.landiaworld.com

DRIVES FLOOR ENERGY COSTS FOR HIGH RISE A London office complex has saved £15,000 on electricity costs in six months following the installation of 18 ABB variable speed drives (VSDs). The drives, ranging from 5.5 kW to 37 kW, are used on hot water and chilled water pumps as well as air extraction systems.

Harbour Exchange Tower is a 46,500 square metre office development near Canary Wharf in London. Consisting of two linked towers, the 17 floors of the building house a number of financial and Internet service providers.

When the building was completed, in 1989, only the most energy intensive applications were speed controlled. The building’s maintenance contractor, CBRE, was keen to improve energy use on other applications. It asked ABB authorised value provider, Inverter Drive Systems (IDS), to investigate which applications offered the greatest energy-saving potential.

IDS undertook an energy assessment at the site concentrating on applications that were not speed controlled, but were switched on and off via a star/delta arrangement. The assessment revealed that installing 18 VSDs would produce savings of around £2,500 a month.

The biggest savings have come from the chilled water system.

This has eight drives running eight pumps. The drives reduce the speed of the pump motors by 20 percent. In the first six months of operation, this has saved 55,000 kWh and £8,000 in energy costs.

Four 22 kW drives were installed on four hot water pumps.

Again, the drives cut motor speed by 20 percent. Over six months, this has resulted in a saving of 48,000 kWh , cutting energy costs by £6,000.

Each building has one supply and two extract fans for the toilets. Previously run at full speed constantly, the supply fans are now run by two 5.5 kW drives, while the extract fans are run by four 7.5 kW drives. This has saved 7,900 kWh and £1,100 in energy costs in six months of operation.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire Tel: 01925 741517 E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.com

SWITCH TO FAIRCHILD TRANSDUCER DELIVERS IMPROVED DIE CASTING PERFORMANCE WITH REDUCED COSTS Fairchild, a Rotork Instruments brand, manufactures precision pneumatic and electropneumatic industrial control components. In a recent application, the introduction of Fairchild electro-pneumatic transducers has improved the performance of die casting machinery and reduced overall costs.

Suzhou Mingzhi Technology based in China manufactures low pressure die casting machinery that is designed to produce high quality, high volume metal components. The high quality of the components is dependent on accurate high flow, low pressure air pressure control, for which it was previously necessary to use four pressure transducers in each machine.

The switch to Fairchild has enabled a single Fairchild T9000 Series IP transducer to perform this duty with increased accuracy. Outlet air pressure is regulated in proportion to an analogue electrical input signal by a closed-loop integrated microprocessor control system. The highly accurate output pressure is maintained by an internal feedback sensor.

Designed for arduous and challenging industrial environments, Fairchild T9000 IP transducers are resistant to shock and vibration and can be installed in any orientation. Fairchild feed and bleed technology enables the T9000 Series to provide a complete range of high performance transducers for many applications. In this case the high volume, low pressure performance has enabled a single unit to replace four units from another manufacturer, delivering cost savings as well as improved performance.

For more information contact Rotork Plc, Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 3JQ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1225 733200.

Email: information@rotork.com | Web: www.rotork.com PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

APPLICATIONS RITTAL’S NEW LASER MACHINING CENTRE TO REVOLUTIONISE CONTROL PANEL PRODUCTION AT ENGINEERING FIRM In a “UK first”, Runcorn and Ewloebased electrical engineering firm, LCA Controls, has switched its control panel operations from manual production to laser-machining. The move is expected to transform its productivity and efficiency.

LCA Controls, which recently came under new ownership, has invested in a Rittal Perforex LC 3015 3D laser machining centre – a system which will revolutionise construction of its stainless-steel panels by automating processes previously done by hand.

With its integrated 3D-modelling and computer-aided design (CAD) capabilities, the Perforex LC 3015 can be programmed to manage measuring and machining to an extremely high degree of accuracy, processing panels in a fraction of the former time.

It will allow LCA Controls to service higher volume orders going forward, as well as rapid turnaround of bulk orders – including next day delivery.

“Our investment in this new Rittal Automation Systems machine is incredibly important for the growth of our control panel manufacturing and design business here in the UK,” said Alan Sheppard, Managing Director of LCA Controls.

“It is a statement of intent in terms of our growth, as it means we can deliver more, faster, better, more efficiently for customers across the world without compromising on the quality we’re famous for.”

LCA’s control panels are used across a range of industries including nuclear, food manufacturing, power generation, water and utilities, oil and gas and pharmaceutical

FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

companies.

“This new Rittal Automation Systems machine will give us capabilities that are way ahead of the curve on our competitors in the UK,” added Alan.

“Combine that with our new 3D CAD capabilities and we can immerse our customers in the design and build process like never before. They can literally fly in and fly out of the designed products we build, and we can deliver them to their door within days.

Not only that, but we can now do one-off jobs or high volume, mass manufacturing of control panel boxes at the touch of a few buttons, which is why we’re earmarking 2018 as an incredibly important year for our business.”

Paul Metcalfe, Rittal’s product manager for Industrial & Outdoor Enclosures comments: “We’re really keen to encourage UK companies to adopt technology which is revolutionizing panel building and electrical engineering across the world.

When it comes to processing panels, machining centres from Rittal Automation Systems, are light years ahead of the alternative, manual approach. They speed up processing by as much as 66 percent compared to the traditional hand-tooled method.

All you have to do is go to our online Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator and it will tell you how quickly the machining centre will take to pay for itself before you place the order –we expect you to be pleasantly surprised by what you find!

But that’s not all. We have a comprehensive range of equipment for professional workshop operation, which enables fully automated end-to-end mechanical engineering. That’s everything from milling and laser machining, through to wire processing and wiring, cutting cable ducts and support rails, to panel handling and assembly. It’s so much faster, and the finish is consistently second-to-none.”

Further information is available at www.rittal.co.uk and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com or on twitter: @rittal_ltd.

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APPLICATIONS VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE ELIMINATES GRINDER STOPPAGES Regular stoppages of a grinder used in the production of animal feed have been eliminated with the installation of an ABB variable speed drive (VSD) to control the input of ingredients.

The VSD regulates the speed of a screw conveyor to ensure the grinding mill is not overloaded with raw material. The system has also increased the amount of soft ingredients the grinder is able to process, improving productivity.

Burniston Mill in Scarborough, UK produces animal feed by grinding grains such as wheat and barley.

These are then pelletized to form the finished

product.

The original installation employed a vibrating table which fed the grain into the grinding mill.

However, because of its age the table was unreliable and often over-fed the mill. The motor had to work harder, resulting in current overloads that tripped the motor and stopped production. This was happening every two weeks on average. On each occasion the grain had to be dug out by hand, stopping production for at least an hour each time.

Steve Barker, mill manager at Burniston Mill, asked electrical systems specialist MP Electric to provide an alternative method for feeding the grinder. Working with ABB authorised value provider Halcyon Drives, a solution was developed using a 2.2 kW ABB machinery drive to control the speed of the motor driving a screw conveyor. The new system monitors the current drawn by the grinding mill motor and adjusts the speed of the screw conveyor to ensure the mill motor is not overloaded.

This also ensures that hard grains are not fed into the grinder too quickly, whereas soft grains can be fed in at a higher rate. This has improved productivity by increasing the amount of soft Ingredients the process is able to handle in any given time period.

For more information contact ABB Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire Tel: 01925 741517 | E-mail: layla.hewitt@gb.abb.com

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EPC CONTRACTOR CHOOSES SOFIS FOR KUWAIT OIL COMPANY PROJECT Valve operation specialist to supply 4,500 valve interlocks In one of the largest interlock orders of the last ten years, valve operation specialist Sofis is to supply 4,500 Netherlocks interlocks to an EPC contractor delivering the first phase of a heavy oil development programme for the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). The interlocks will mainly be fitted to pressure safety valves and pig traps.

The contractor chose Sofis for this project because of the latter’s local engineering support and engineering capability. Delivering such a large-scale project requires close coordination between project teams and, with its regional office in Dubai, that was something Sofis could provide.

Also, as large as a project of this nature is, it still only represents a small proportion of Sofis’s annual production capacity. Following the recent merger between Netherlocks and Smith Flow Control, the newly-created Sofis’s combined manufacturing capability was strong enough to comfortably meet the order’s requirements.

The KOC programme covers greenfield and brownfield facilities, including engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, and operations and maintenance work for the main central processing facility (CPF) and associated infrastructure, as well as the production support complex. This includes a 162-km pipeline to transport the heavy crude from the CPF to the South Tank Farm located in Ahmadi.

For more information contact Sofis, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands Tel: +31 172-427 851 | Mob: +31 6-8356 5084 E-mail: robert.barendregt@sofisglobal.com Web: www.sofisglobal.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

HEALTH & SAFETY MINIMISE MAINTENANCE ON INERTING SYSTEMS Industry requirements for safer, trouble-free, and continuous process operations need to be balanced with cost control, maintenance resources, greater efficiency, and better use of primary raw materials. Oxygen level monitoring in safety-relevant applications can be significantly improved with in situ Tunable Diode Laser (TDL) measurements that not only avoid the drawbacks of conditioning and sampling systems, but also allow fast measurement directly in the process line or vessel. In situ TDL measurements allow for operation closer to Limiting Oxygen Content levels, reducing the costs of inerting, without compromising on safety.

TDL oxygen analysers work on the principle of laser absorption spectroscopy and measure Oxygen directly within the gas stream, without any sampling or conditioning. These sensors are often part of a more complex safety installation which monitors the Oxygen measurement, verifies the sensor, and validates inerting. TDL sensors for process applications have two basic design types, cross-stack and probe-type, and consist of a laser diode and detector contained in a single unit, requiring a single flange connection.

Moisture and dust can severely affect the performance and cost of traditional extractive systems, but since no sampling or conditioning is required, the blow-back filter process adaptions on the GPro 500 TDL allow for the processing of gases that contain high levels of dust or liquids.

The METTLER TOLEDO M400 transmitter can also be used to control the interval and duration of blow-back cycles to clean filters inside to out.

TDL sensors are practically drift free and can be calibrated just once a year, representing a huge saving in time spent on maintenance and operational downtime. Only air is needed as a calibration gas, with no nitrogen (or any other 0% Oxygen calibration gas) required. The highly stable zero point of TDL sensors are proven over extended time periods, regardless of the harshness of the process conditions, removing considerable logistical burden for technicians.

METTLER TOLEDO TDL sensors allow for direct control self-testing measurement validation via the DCS (Distributed Control System). This means that verification of oxygen measurements can be quickly and inexpensively conducted from a control room, considerably increasing the system’s operational uptime, leading to greater productivity and process availability. Download our white paper to understand the benefits of TDLs, and how to integrate them into a DCS system for fully automated Oxygen verification.

For more information contact Mettler-Toledo Ltd, Leicester Tel: 0116 234 5095 Email enquire.mtuk@mt.com | Web: www.mt.com Download the Gas Inerting Systems White Paper: https://goo.gl/cp9sxC 10

CASTELL LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL EXCHANGE BOX New product addresses growing complexity in switchgear and guarding applications Castell, a leader in trapped key interlocking technology, has launched the first digital key exchange box.

The Digital Exchange Box has been developed to address growing complexity in modern switchgear and guarding applications. The product can be configured to release any number of keys in a predefined sequence without the typical limitations of mechanical exchange boxes.

Paul Roberts, business development manager at Castell, explained: “While we have some unique mechanical exchange boxes, the design is limited due to their mechanical nature. With our new Digital Exchange Box, it is possible to release and trap keys to suit the complexity of the application’s needs, which in the past would only have been possible using a number of mechanical exchange boxes.”

Available in either mild or stainless steel, the Digital Exchange Box can be used in the harshest of environments.

For more information contact Castell Safety International Ltd, London Tel: +44 (0)20 8200 1200 | E-mail: pr@castell.com | Web: www.castell.com

NEW: ULTIMA® X5000 Gas Monitor Introducing the new MSA ULTIMA X5000 gas detector, featuring an advanced OLED display with touch controls, two sensor inputs, and MSA’s patented XCell sensors with new TruCal™ technology.

The replacement for the hugely successful ULTIMA X, the ULTIMA X5000 has eliminated any need for a tool or controller, since it can be operated by two touch buttons on the face or via Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, up to 23 metres away.

The industry standard has always been one sensor per transmitter, but the X5000 can double its coverage by having the ability to have two sensor inputs into the one transmitter.

The ULTIMA X5000 is powered by a series of best in class sensors and its performance is guaranteed by the industry’s most comprehensive warranty coverage. MSA is also introducing a new breakthrough with TruCal™ technology on selected XCell toxic sensors.

This innovation compensates for sensor drift due to environmental changes.

In other words, the users don’t have to touch or calibrate the detector for up to a year and a half.

The high resolution OLED display has been designed in such a way that users can tell at a glance the current status of the detector, keeping safety as easy as possible.

Safer, smarter, easier and more efficient – the ULTIMA X5000 is the gas detector for the 21 st century.

For further information please contact you MSA (Britain) Ltd, Devizes, Wiltshire Tel: 0800 066 2222 | E-mail: info.gb@MSAsafety.com | Web: gb.msasafety.com

ANALYSERS Inert Gas Blanketing Do you use inert gas blanketing within your manufacturing process?

Inert gas blanketing is a process used to protect volatile, combustible or perishable products from undesirable reactions such as oxidation or explosion.

The Rapidox 1100 and Rapidox 2100 zirconia oxygen gas analysers can measure oxygen content at the lowest level in parts per million, ensuring that the inert environment is as pure as possible.

There are many benefits in inert gas blanketing such as: - Decreases risk of oxidisation - Assists in chemical storage - Protects perishable products - Enhances safety - Reduces contamination - Maintains inert environment - Used in many applications If you would like further information on Rapidox gas analysers or advice using gas analysis within your process, please contact Cambridge Sensotec on TEL: +44 (0)1480 462142 or Email sales@cambridge-sensotec.co.uk.

Further details can also be found on our website www.cambridge-sensotec.co.uk PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

featured article

Digital Twinning:

The Future of Manufacturing?

By Terri Hiskey, Vice President Product Marketing, Manufacturing at Epicor Software

Today, the most innovative manufacturing businesses are often the ones taking advantage of the new wave of industry-transforming technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Industry 4.0, as these trends have commonly become known, is the next phase of the digitisation of the manufacturing sector and a term called ‘digital twinning’ is gaining in popularity.

T

he concept of digital twinning has gained momentum in recent years as more manufacturers invest in smart machines that are transforming the industrial landscape.

Defined as the mapping of a physical asset to a digital platform, digital twinning is enabling manufacturers to gather data from sensors on their machines to find out how they are performing, in real-time.

Earlier in the year, Gartner named digital twinning as number five in its top 10 strategic technology trends for 2017.

It predicts that within three to five years, billions of things will be represented by digital twins and a recent Research and Markets report suggests that up to 85 per cent of all IoT Platforms will contain some form of digital twinning capability by 2022.

Furthermore, this survey found that 75 per cent of executives across a broad spectrum of industry verticals plan to incorporate them within their operations by 2020.

So why should manufacturers be taking digital twinning seriously? It is because when we start connecting IoT endpoints, devices and physical assets to data sensing and gathering systems, the data extracted can be turned into valuable insights and ultimately optimise and automate processes. Consequently, the potential for digital twinning to positively impact business outcomes are almost endless.

Bridging the physical-digital divide Digital twins are possible for all kinds of physical products— FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

from microchips to luxury cars. In fact, one industry that has trail blazed the use of the technology is Formula 1. Here, crucial, race-winning insight can be gained from a digital twin running exactly the same race as the physical car, taking into account factors such as road conditions, weather, and temperature.

For manufacturers, digital twins are used to boost efficiency and productivity by enabling companies to monitor the construction of plants, manage assets, and to test its final products.

Take predictive maintenance, for example. This is where sensors continuously collect machine condition data which can be used to calculate component wear rates, production loads and life spans. With digital twinning, the machine operator is able to determine the optimal time for maintenance, avoiding the cost both of major repairs and premature or unnecessary maintenance.

The potential savings from digital twins are enormous, especially when it comes to prototyping. With conventional product development, physical prototypes tend not to be built until very late in the process. Having twinned a device, a digital prototype can be used to run simulations in virtual reality that can be modified at any time at minimal cost through the entirety of the production process. This means that manufacturers are then able to not only reduce development time and costs, but to also move into the area of being able to predict failure scenarios and potential downtime - an insight that provides a significant and valuable step forward to increasing efficiencies in product development.

Gaining real insight By creating a virtual representation of each physical device,

manufacturers suddenly have a wealth of data on production processes and performance at their fingertips. But what can they do with all this information?

Software platforms are available that collect data directly from equipment and operators on the shop floor in real time.

This information is presented on touch-screen technology which arms operators and managers with a 360 degree picture of the what, why and when of downtime, cycle time, quality, and scrap.

From on-the- fly production schedule changes, to daily operations meetings, to management dashboards and reports, manufacturing execution systems (MES) give everyone in

the plant, and throughout the business, an opportunity to take action to improve manufacturing performance. These systems can also be linked with enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to connect the entire business to the actual manufacturing process.

Digital twinning in action We’re seeing innovative new ways in which the information derived from digital twinning is utilised in different businesses around the world, and ‘immersive analytics’ has become a popular term to describe the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other new display technologies to support analytical reasoning of sensor data.

Donning wearable technology such as smart glasses, manufacturing engineers can enter a new world of visualising data relating to a specific product or task. For example, a maintenance team arriving at a building can gain access to an augmented reality view of hidden systems (for instance equipment behind a wall) to see what is there as well as information and its status. With a touch of a button, the worker is linked to real time information about the object such as specs and usage data, ownership, maintenance history and performance.

Though AR use is growing, it’s still in the early phases of awareness and adoption. But for early adopters, AR has helped drive operational efficiency by reducing production downtime, identifying problems quickly, and keeping processes moving.

With so many benefits for manufacturers it is clear that the digital twin is here to stay. In a world where new products need to reach the market in ever-faster cycles and on demand, companies cannot afford to miss out on the power of digitalisation to improve efficiency, quality and productivity. Making these savings on time and money will not only streamline business in the short term but enable manufacturers to refocus that time and money into preparing for growth.

The technology offers manufacturers a chance to be ahead of their machinery and anticipate and prepare for costly downtime. Those who realise the value in investing in digital twinning now will be able to work smarter and harder in the future, however, those who are unwilling to commit to investment are at risk of falling behind more efficiency driven competitors. By bridging the gap between the physical and digital world, the future of manufacturing is already here.

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featured article

IT Emperor’s New Clothes & other stories about Cyber Security in Industry

By Tom Lind, Vice President, Technology and New Solutions, Industry Business Group, FINLAND (Corresponding author) & Jonni Talsi, Chief Engineer, Cyber Security, Energy Business Group, SWITZERLAND Cyber security is not a new topic, but it is increasingly a central factor in modern risk management in the industrial sector. Nevertheless, it is not just about management of risk but also a matter of personal responsibility. Production related threats, such as production losses, impaired quality or delivery delays, are no longer the only risks.

Management and privacy of data is equally important min any responsible and modern production environment. This has to be supported by well-organised management standards and frameworks that can deal with the ever-evolving threat of cyber threats.

This article discusses how modern industry is threatened by cyber threats and outlines new EU directives and guiding standards that will incentivise and help businesses adapt.

The current state of cyber threats in the industrial sector When considering cyber security in the industrial sector, the challenges are traditionally associated with personal IT, office automation, business management and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). The largest share of incidents is unintentional, caused by an individual’s lack of knowledge. This obvious flaw can be amended by increasing your workforce’s cyber awareness with a sufficient training program, which covers the basics of email phishing, malicious attachments and e-fraud.

The benefits of increased digitalisation or automation in the industrial sector are well known. What is less well known is how Industrial Control Systems (ICS) can be become a target for cyber attacks. Recent cyber-attacks are using malwares to disrupt or take control of critical infrastructure like electrical substations. It is also not just infrastructure; there are also reports that hackers are also attacking safety systems (1). Theses growing number of incidents underline the fact that ICS are increasingly being targeted for cyber-attacks.

The industrial sector, especially process plants (food, chemicals, forest products etc.) are vulnerable to cyber-attacks from known and unknown sources. Successful cyber-attacks can lead to loss

of production, unplanned downtime (production quality waste), disturbances to cash-to- order processes and the supply chain.

The impact is not just limited to production processes. Building technology, such as climate control systems, remotely controlled access control systems and surveillance networks can be surprisingly vulnerable. Damage to these technologies can also damage production indirectly or even have a catastrophic impact on the local environment or community. For example, an attack on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in a hospital or laboratory could directly impact people’s health.

Understanding how digitalisation can impact peoples’ well-being needs to be understood, managed and protected accordingly.

The journey starts by assessing critical parts of infrastructure and building technology.

When assessing industrial processes it is vital to: - Be aware of, and understand, potential cyber incidentsAssess and identify “my risks and how they are handled”Understand the time and effort required to recover back to production following a cyber attack - Build and increase your resilience Too often, there are no clear plans. Back-ups are not tested and even smaller disturbances can easily cause chaotic recovery situations.

This highlights why cyber threats have to be a standard element

of your general risk management strategy in the industrial sector.

About upcoming changes in cyber security directives – “what’s in it for me?”

In 1995, the European Union introduced the “Data Protection Directive” (Directive 95/46/EC) to regulate the processing of personal data to meet privacy and human rights laws. However from May 25th 2018, new directives will come into force. The “General Data Protection Regulation” (GDPR) will supersede previous directives. The aim of GDPR is to protect EU citizens from privacy and data breaches, including heavy penalties for violations.

Within this new directive there are measures that look to protect industrial operations (2). These include: - The authorities must be notified within 72hrs of first becoming aware of a cyber-security breach. This applies not only to the production unit, but also its customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

- Anyone, whose data is managed by a data controller (e.g. registered customer data), can, at any time, free of charge, get a confirmation related to the data use.

- Data controllers have to erase personal data once it has lost its

Figure 1. Continuous improvement approach to process industry plants (5).

original purpose, is no longer relevant or a data subject withdraws consent.

- Data protection must be included at the start of designing systems, rather than an addition. It must be of the highest standard and protect the privacy of any data subject - Establishment and appointment of a Data Protection Officer (DPO) What is apparent with these new measures is the level of increased transparency for data processing, attempted cyber-attacks or breaches. There is going to be no hiding place if errors occur which can be detrimental to a company’s reputation. Therefore just having a traditional IT manager role will no longer suffice. These new challenges mean it is necessary to appoint a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

Trustworthiness Increased digitalisation in production means there is greater interaction between different systems which are controlled or monitored through computer-based algorithms. Wireless sensor networks, measuring something in a given environment and transmitting that to a central unit (e.g. automatic pilot avionics systems), are typical applications in this area. This is all combined with human interaction. All these moving parts create the cyber physical systems (CPS). The CPS needs to be incorporated into risk management practices (3).

Trustworthiness is an integral part in the CPS concept, with aspects of security, privacy, safety, reliability and resilience. Trustworthiness must be a basic requirement of any modern industrial site and a prerequisite to sustainable, advanced manufacturing and the digital business environment.

From a risk management perspective, combining GDPR and trustworthiness can be conducted by doing the following: - CPS may include physical, analogue and cyber components. Engineers must determine how to evaluate the impact of their choices in terms of multi-level trade-off metrics - Security, operational and reputational risk - Safety, error rates (is there a possibility that data can be used against the processor?)

- Reliability, failure rates - Privacy, unwanted disclosure rates - Resilience, recovery rates Resilience planning is done to mitigate against an attack and help with recovery. Data recovery following a security breach should be planned with a clearly defined process. Ideally this should be practiced as well. In many cases, clear data backup routines can be the difference between a quick recovery and a total catastrophe. The key is how quickly this can be done to mitigate damages (e.g. production losses).

Turning theories into practice ISO Standard 27001 is a commonly known and widely employed standard for management of information security and defines its related risks. This standard has traditionally been considered more as an IT management standard, but in environments with increasing digitalisation, it cannot be relied upon anymore in modern production facilities. ISA99/IEC62443 emphasizes the industrial control systems on four different layers (General, Policies and Procedures, System and Component). Furthermore the ISA99/ IEC62443 represents a more advanced approach to industrial cyber security, specifically addressing the cyber security to control systems perspective. (4) With a jungle of standards, guidelines and frameworks; selecting the right one for your business and industrial set-up is critical. Only once you have selected the most relevant ones can you establish the foundation of your ICS cyber security. Equally important is the ability to maintain and evolve your cyber security. Pöyry has developed a simple approach to do this as illustrated in the flow chart below.

Asset management and cyber security Processing or production industries are typically very asset intensive businesses. From the owner’s perspective, there is a huge amount of uncertainty and risk that is considered in the future production portfolio and business environment. They have to consider important external factors such as the global economy, demand/supply changes, raw material pricing, employee restrictions, politics etc. Modern asset management includes a number of challenging questions, such as: - How to maintain assets to and still meet all set operational, sustainability and business targets?

- What is the annual investment demand needed to meet any of the targets?

- Should we replace or rebuild?

- How can we mitigate any asset-related risks associated with unclear future market scenarios?

As you can see there is a huge amount that owner has to contemplate and manage. But it is vital that cyber security is given equal consideration. Therefore any asset management plan must include CPS. For example, equipment generation upgrades cannot only include hardware refurbishment or modernisation.

It has to include cyber security ICS (e.g. data privacy). Typically business managers tend to focus on reducing costs and time efficiencies. Meanwhile, procurement practices in processing focus more on direct assets costs, with maintenance and operational expenses being secondary. Too often cyber-security drops down the agenda. However, failing to build in cyber security at the investment phase means that your new modern plant will in fact be old and inefficient from day one.

Summary It is no longer sufficient to just deliver efficiencies or advanced sustainability. The integration of digitalisation in industrial operations is dramatically exposing industrial processes to unknown cyber security risks. Traditional asset management alone cannot ensure your safety. However, all these challenges can be managed, but it requires a systematic approach, while continuously improving and updating. A suitable framework for everyone’s own business must be chosen, but being well planned is not enough if the plans are not enabled. That makes the difference. One might rephrase this fact in a following way: “Cyber security is a journey, not a destination!”

For references please visit this article at piimag.com FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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TEST & MEASUREMENT NEW COMMUNICATION PROCESSOR FROM HBM OFFERS AN INTELLIGENT SOLUTION! HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement - is pleased to introduce its new CP52 Communication Processor (CP), which has been exclusively designed for use with the widely acclaimed MGCplus Data Acquisition System.

Successor to the CP22 and CP42, the updated CP52 which features built in intelligence, comes with a variety of flexible functions which offers users added value, such as two native interfaces.

This enables users to utlise one of the interfaces for data acquisition and the other to drive the control system, for example, by a User Datagram

Protocol (UDP).

Featuring improved connectivity and flexibility, further improvements to the update also mean that 512 measurement channels can now be connected to the CP52, as opposed to the previous maximum, which were only 256. Measurement data can also be recorded on a standard USB stick for additional data security.

The new CP52, which features synchronisation based on the Precision Time Protocol (PTP), also means that no matter what amplifier is used in the same measurement project, with the MGCplus, all are perfectly synchronised.

The MGCplus from HBM is a scalable and configurable data acquisition system for laboratory and test stand use which can be used to acquire data on force, strain, displacement, torque, voltage, current, temperature and many other parameters.

For further information, contact HBM on Tel: +44 (0) 208 515 6000 |Email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk | Web: www.hbm.com

enclosures SLIMLINE MOTOR CONTROLLERS CREATE SPACE IN ENCLOSURES Small drives for machines and equipment are typically powered up to 9.0 A and are protected by conventional motor circuit breakers.

However, when space in the enclosure is limited, it is very difficult to find room for significant numbers of protective components. Rittal’s new motor controllers for its RiLine Compact power distribution system offers a sophisticated solution.

To help engineers, Rittal has also produced a 3D configurator that reduces the time required to generate Compact RiLine busbar systems. Following the successful launch of the busbar system “RiLine Compact” at the beginning of the year, Rittal is now expanding the product range.

Until now, the small 125-A-max busbar system consisted entirely of shock-hazard-protected boards, which form the basis of the system, along with assembly components such as connection adapters for busbar infeed and component adapters for the easy set-up of switchgear and protection devices produced by other manufacturers. Rittal will shortly be launching new motor controllers into the range.

These can be fitted directly and easily onto the board in a one-step installation, to minimise the time and effort spent on wiring.

A compact solution for small spaces Rittal offers motor controllers in three staggered current ranges: 8 A/2.4 A/8 A. These combine the functions of direct starter and reversing starter within one single device. Its slimline profile - just 22.5 mm wide - is particularly impressive and frees up around 50 percent more space compared to the standard 45 mm-wide switching device in the range, and as much as 75 percent more space compared to the 90 mm-wide reversing combinations.

Hybrid technology to impress The three-phase motor controller is a high-performance hybrid switching device with a current monitoring function, offering a longer lifespan and low-loss operation. The principle behind it is simple: first, the electronics are switched on using the input signal, and then the mechanical contacts takeover for the duration. The motor controller also provides diagnostics, which to detect internal and external errors.

The operating statuses and error messages can then be evaluated through the four different illuminated LEDs. 3D Configurator To help engineers, Rittal has also produced a 3D configurator that reduces the time required to generate Compact RiLine busbar systems. A series of easy to follow steps produces detailed drawings, the ability to select component adaptors, and a bill of materials.

Further information at www.rittal.co.uk and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com or on twitter @rittal_ltd.

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TANKS & VESSELS CUSTOM MANUFACTURED PROCESS EQUIPMENT – TANKS AND PROCESS VESSELS Axium Process specialises in design and fabrication of hygienic stainless steel process equipment including high-end customised stainless steel tanks, pressure vessels, mobile transfer vessels and mixing vessels manufactured complete with integrated stirring systems and CIP processes.

The company, which can supply full certification packs including materials, weld maps, surface finish, non-destructive testing and Notified Body third party approval, typically manufactures tanks and vessels in 316 and 316L stainless steel with higher grade materials such as Hastelloy®, for specialised applications including those associated with the pharmaceutical industry.

Axium’s Welders and Procedures are Notified Body approved to ASME IX, BS EN ISO 9606-1 and BS EN ISO 15614-1 and welders and metal polishers are qualified to operate in confined spaces where weld integrity and surface finish is critical.

Axium Process offers a truly comprehensive in-house metal finishing service including mechanical bead-blast, manual and electro-polishing specialities providing certificated finishes from descaled to high specification finishes such as bright mirror for those companies requiring pharmaceutical grade finishes.

The company also supplies a range of hygienic tube and pipe fittings including tank and vessel accessories such as hygienic stainless steel tank manways, valves, sightglasses, gauges and sprayballs.

For more information contact Axium Process Ltd, Swansea.

Tel: 01792 883882 | E-mail: info@axiumprocess.com | Web: www.axiumprocess.com

SPECTROMETERS NEW OCEAN FX SPECTROMETER OFFERS HIGHER ACQUISITION SPEED FOR LIGHT MEASUREMENT Characterise frequency, amplitude and chromatic variation of lighting Ocean Optics has upgraded its Ocean FX miniature spectrometer to now offer an acquisition speed of up to 4,500 scans per second, high-sensitivity CMOS detector performance and integration times as low as 10 µs.

With flexible features to manage saturation intensity, it is suitable for high-intensity LED and light source measurement, laser characterisation, spectral analysis of rapid events and plasma monitoring.

Depending on the performance of the operating system to which it is connected, Ocean FX can acquire up to 4,500 scans per second. This speed allows users to collect more spectral information over shorter periods of time, contributing to better results. The high speed is also useful for capturing rapidly occurring modulation of light output, such as flicker in LEDs and other sources (see Ocean Optics Application Note: https://oceanoptics.com/ocean-fx-high-speed-applicationsin-home-lighting/). The powerful onboard processor holds up to 50,000 spectra in its memory and can perform averaging of up to 5,000 spectra, significantly speeding up transfer times and reducing bandwidth requirements.

Ocean FX is anchored by a high-sensitivity CMOS detector that is responsive from 200-1,100 nm.

To account for varying light intensity, its adjustable integration time ranges from 10 seconds down to 10 µs. This ability to integrate over much briefer periods – microseconds instead of milliseconds – avoids saturating the detector in even extremely high-intensity applications. Ocean FX’s interchangeable slits give users the ability to further adjust for differences in light source intensity.

Users can operate the Ocean FX via Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB and now SPI communication protocols. The addition gives OEM users greater design flexibility, eliminating the need for cables or additional circuitry to convert signals. Ocean FX is available in versions optimised for the UVVis (200-850 nm), Vis-NIR (350-1,000 nm) and extended (200-1,025 nm) wavelength ranges.

Enhanced-sensitivity, custom and OEM configurations are also available.

To learn more about Ocean FX, contact an Ocean Optics Applications Scientist at Email: info@oceanoptics.com | Web: www.oceanoptics.com | Tel: +31 (0)26 319 05 00.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

ENVIRONMENTAL

featured article

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Promat UK leads the market with new quality and environmental standards

Solving the UK productivity gap

with robotics Promat UK, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation, has become one of the first companies of its kind to successfully move up to the latest ‘2015’ editions of the globally recognised ISO 9001 quality management and ISO 14001 environmental management system standards.

This dual standard upgrade gives customers of Promat UK the assurance that products are manufactured to a consistently high standard in processes designed to minimise environmental impact and with excellent supply reliability. These ISO standards, which apply to all activities undertaken at Promat UK’s 66,000 sq. ft. main manufacturing centre and HQ at Heywood in Lancashire, are awarded to companies only when independent assessors are satisfied that their management, operations and all processes meet their strict criteria.

Achieving these new standards is another important differentiator for Promat UK as it works to raise standards and eliminate risk in the design and specification of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation. This applies across its entire product portfolio including its fire resistant glazing solutions, fire resistant textiles, and calcium silicate and microporous products used in heavy industry, as well as the bespoke insulation solutions manufactured in the Promat Workshop for numerous OEM applications.

Ian Cowley, General Manager at Promat UK says: “We’re delighted to become one of the first manufacturers of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation to reach the 2015 ISO standards. The work that goes into achieving these standards is far-reaching and looks at every aspect of our business in detail to ensure we’re doing things in the best way possible.

Tragic recent events have put the performance of products that are designed to save lives under the spotlight like never before.

It is vitally important for specifiers, contractors and installers to eliminate risk, particularly with products like fire resistant glass, and here ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 help make a difference.

These standards go hand-in-hand, giving our customers peace of mind knowing that independent experts have been through the way we manufacture and supply products with a fine-tooth comb. In combination with our specific product approvals, such as those provided by CERTIFIRE, this means we give our customers a ‘belt and braces’ assurance that our products are right for the application.”

A significant change in the 2015 ISO standards versus previous versions is the involvement of the senior management team in leading and developing systems. This ensures the management systems effectively support the overall business objectives, customer requirements and the competence and development of employees, focusing on managing risk by closely scrutinising and monitoring quality, environmental and health and safety performance.

Find out more at www.promat.co.uk FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

By Martin Walder, VP Industry at Schneider Electric

Robots are nothing new. Say “Danger, Will Robinson,” to anyone who grew up in the 70s and they will know exactly what you’re talking about. What is new is the level of capability and relative low cost made possible by the proliferation of high performance sensors, integrated control and increasing volumes.

T

hese factors are making robots much more widespread and commonplace – fundamentally changing our perception of what robots are and their capability. In fact, beyond the factory they’re taking on many forms and finding their way into our everyday lives, taking on functions like vacuuming, cutting grass and even caring for the elderly.

What’s pertinent here is that with mass consumer markets opening up, the lower cost advantages with volume and more rapid development cycles, will further enhance their capabilities for industry. This newer, more cost- effective technology will provide industry with a much greater potential for optimising cost, performance and quality in the manufacturing environment. In fact, to compete with global competition it’s essential that we accelerate the modernisation of production facilities with robotics and autonomous systems across the UK. Indeed, energy efficiency, more tailored or customised products and continuous quality improvements all rely on robot systems that can support flexible operations to a consistently high quality. This has, as a result, put the broader value of robots and autonomous systems into sharp focus.

replace humans, rather in some instances, frees up highly skilled workers for value-add activity. Meanwhile, robots can be used for dangerous and repetitive jobs that can be hazardous for humans whose skills can be applied elsewhere.

So, what’s been holding us back so far? There are many sides to the robotics story and many equate return on investment in terms of the initial cost rather than the overarching, in-direct benefits. Firstly, it’s important to think carefully about the lifecycle of the robotic system and the planned automation projects. Second, it’s the indirect benefits of deploying robotic systems when it comes to employees. Employee well-being and making the most of the expertise available is a valid factor to consider and should certainly come into the analysis when weighing off robotic potential.

What’s more, cobotics specifically has a much lower price tag.

Most robot cells need an allocated space on the factory floor and certain provisions before they can be set up and operated.

To function safely, these cells also need protective fencing and other safety measures, all of which come at a cost. With collaborative robots, these concerns become redundant.

Enter ‘cobotics’

A key cog in the wheel

A big part of the robotics trend that will have a breakthrough over the next few years is the introduction of cobotics. In this scenario, compact and easy-to- use collaborative robots work alongside humans.

As automation developers introduce better sensing capability and more responsive safety systems, the application of robotic equipment in this space will only increase – paving the way for improved interaction so that complex processes can be completed faster, more easily and more safely.

With this change comes an additional opportunity for a skillspoor industry struggling to attract engineering expertise, to improve the way it uses staff. The cobotics movement doesn’t

Ultimately, while the need to increase production and create a smarter more efficient industrial environment remains a priority, robotics is a key step on the path to progress. In fact, the health and longevity of the sector relies on it.

Costs are rising, interest in STEM is waning and existing automation control systems are slowly becoming obsolete and failing to deliver on the promise of the smart future we so desperately need.

Resolving these ongoing challenges, means continued efforts around education and investment in technology are critical, especially if we are to help UK manufacturing compete with other major economies.

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featured article

ARE MANUFACTURERS READY FOR

RANSOMWARE? Many UK manufacturers are still running legacy systems which are extremely vulnerable to ransomware cyber security attacks, such as the recent high-profile WannaCry epidemic which impacted businesses in more than 150 countries.

But with regulations requiring organisations to protect their data, and with the UK’s manufacturing industry more competitive than ever before, the importance of having a robust disaster resilience provision in place has never been more critical.

Tony Mannion, Sales Development Manager at SolutionsPT, examines the security challenges facing manufacturers running legacy systems and looks at how they can protect themselves against potential ransomware attacks, and ensure they are able to recover critical data in the event of one taking place.

I

t’s no secret that the UK’s manufacturing industry is currently more competitive than ever, with the need to increase profitability while simultaneously reducing costs forcing manufacturers to fight even harder than usual in order to establish a competitive advantage, and one of the most effective ways of doing this is by ensuring that they are using the most cutting edge industrial systems. Despite this, however, a significant number of manufacturers are still operating extremely insecure legacy control systems which are liable to leave their systems exposed to disruptive cyber-attacks.

Compared to the first three months of the year, cyber-attacks increased by 24% globally during the second quarter of 2017.

Combine that with the fact that the manufacturing industry is now the industry most frequently targeted by cyber attackers* and it becomes clear that the risk to manufacturers has never been greater. So how can manufacturers, particularly those still running legacy systems, ensure their operations are safe from the threat of a ransomware attack? And, if one does take place, what can they do to minimise its impact?

Ransomware has become a major problem for manufacturers...

With recent high-profile attacks, such as the Petya and WannaCry epidemics which disrupted businesses in more than 16

150 countries and affected critical infrastructure including banks, airports and government departments, and with other key challenges including the malware’s ability to spread quickly and force unscheduled downtime, manufacturers are no longer in a position where they can afford to ignore the threat it poses.

Indeed, if unplanned downtime does take place, manufacturers risk significant reductions in both productivity and profitability, as well as a loss of reputation and, possibly, a loss of clients.

Another problem associated with ransomware is that many attacks are not targeted, so all systems, whether they be unpatched systems, Windows systems or the aforementioned legacy systems, are vulnerable to infection. Similarly, if a ransomware attack can infect your systems, for networks which suffer from a lack of visibility, knowing what the malware is targeting and what damage it is doing is nigh on impossible.

But perhaps the biggest threat to manufacturers lies in the loss of data. This is a major issue for manufacturers because, as well as being massively disruptive to operations, the loss of key data often carries with it legal implications, as some industries are required to provide information to Government agencies, such as the Environment Agency, and failure to do so will result in substantial fines. Likewise, for manufacturers in regulated industries who are unable to sell their products into certain markets unless they have a complete set of production data, such as the pharmaceutical industry, the loss of data can be

catastrophic.

Manufacturers need to ensure they are protected against ransomware attacks by putting a protective strategy in place which can identify an infection early. Modern Disaster Resilience solutions, such as Proteus by industrial IT solutions provider SolutionsPT, feature algorithms which can identify when an infection begins to affect your system and protect your back-ups, securing your data and allowing you to maintain a safe and speedy recovery position. And, because it has been designed to fit into existing environments, it can be easily retro-fitted, making it especially good at protecting legacy systems.

By detecting the mass changes of files that are at the core of a ransomware attack, for example Proteus enables the recovery of critical data via virtualisation which runs a backup of your machine in isolation from your network and other machines, allowing you to find the infected files and then purge them from your system.

A disaster resilience provision also ensures your site is fully operational again as quickly as possible, whilst also limiting the amount of data that could be lost in the event of a disaster.

Backups are taken and tested regularly, before being stored locally and securely offsite, meaning you have a redundancy provision built into your system. Furthermore, the virtualisation technology means that those backups can be activated in a virtual environment within minutes of a machine failure, protecting critical OT systems and allowing plants to remain operational whilst a failed machine is replaced. Backups can be undertaken hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, enabling a backup strategy specific for your site and requirements to be developed.

In order to remain safe from cyber-attacks, manufacturers need to develop an architecture that is inherently secure by design, and ensure they have a plan in place to protect them against the threat of multiple types of cyber-attacks. This is a cultural issue and the biggest victory a company can achieve against cyber criminals is for a shift in mind set around the OT environment to take place. A disaster resilience provision should be the cornerstone of every manufacturer’s cyber security strategy, as this will ensure they are still able to function in the event of an attack, even when it is impossible to prevent the attack from occurring in the first place.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

SOLIDS HANDLING AUGER MANUFACTURE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Trantec Solids Handing introduce bespoke auger design and manufacturing Traditionally, auger manufacturing was more of an art than a science. Production methods were slow and required highly skilled craftsmen. Trantec developed our own methods of auger screw production, by upgrading our production facility, opting for CAD/CAM machine tooling equipment, to speed up production and cut costs.

Many of our customers approach us for an alternative quote after initially contacting the manufacturer of their original machine. We appreciate that machine users would prefer to fit an auger from the OEM, although regrettably many will charge a substantial premium for auger spares.

Quality and reproducibility are inherent to our production process and create cost savings which are passed onto our customers. Once the design is finalised, production can begin with minimal human intervention and your auger will be dimensionally accurate to fractions of a millimetre, producing consistent action when used in bulk solids applications.

Trantec Solids Handling Ltd Renown Works, Wellington Street, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire, BB5 5HU Tel: +44 (0)1282 777566 Email: sales@trantec.info Web: www.trantec.info

FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

Save Cleaning Time with Gericke‘s FEEDOS® S Feeder Above all, precision feeding devices for bulk materials should feed accurately and consistently.

For economic use, the availability of the devices over the life cycle is crucial.

Downtimes, maintenance intervals, malfunctions and high cleaning costs reduce the productive service life of a feeding unit and thus increase the production costs.

The new screw feeder Gericke FEEDOS ® S is a completely new launch of an innovative device generation and covers the output range of 0.5 to 500 liters / hour. Flanges for the integration of the device into the production plant are standardized in 2 variants. Feeding chamber, feeding tool and intromitter were developed a n d extensively tested for different product characteristics. All elements can be easily disassembled and removed for cleaning.

Safety by Design urges our developers on. The aim is to implement the principles of integrated hygiene, user friendliness and process reliability, without complicated mechanical solutions.

Simplicity is the key and the basis for the economic feeding process. Test equipment is available at Gericke. The new Gericke FEEDOS ® series marks a milestone in’ the history of feeding technology.

For more information contact Gericke AG, Tel: +41 44 871 36 36, Fax: +41 44 871 36 00 E-mail: info@gericke.net | Web: gericke.net

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HEAT TRANSFER & ENERGY Fulton’s PURE Technology approach achieves world-first vertical steam boiler - Designed with highest efficiencies and ultralow NOx emissions The all-new gas-fired, vertical spiralrib tubeless steam boiler from Fulton, the VSRT, is the first range to emerge from the company’s new ‘PURE Technology’ approach, an initiative that has resulted in a world-first design that is durable, long-lasting and boasts the highest efficiencies and ultra-low NOx emissions as standard.

By adopting a systems-engineering approach to design and implementing PURE Technology – the result of a clean-slate design approach that combines new people with new skills bringing a new approach to the design and optimisation of heat transfer solutions – Fulton’s VSRT radically challenges the heat transfer and mechanical design principles of traditional steam boilers.

It is also claimed by the company to be the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since Fulton pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler in 1949 and, for the right application, a worthy successor to the company’s renowned J Series.

Commenting for Fulton, sales and marketing manager Leigh Bryan says: “To meet ever-more stringent industry and environmental standards, our PURE Technology approach looks to enhance heat transfer, provide class-leading 18

efficiencies, improve steam quality and reduce NOx emissions. So rather than improve existing products to achieve these goals, PURE Technology radically challenges conventional boiler design by engineering solutions that are fit-for-purpose and applications.”

With over 15 patents pending in three continents, the VSRT’s spiral-rib heat exchanger is a world first. It attains industry-leading heat transfer rates thanks to its unique spiral design, which achieves low stack temperatures by passing the flue gases through a spiral-wound heat exchanger that is fully immersed

in water.

“This all-new spiral-rib design benefits from an extended heat transfer path and dual-direction heat flow, with the spiral annulus designed and optimised to create high heat transfer rates.” says Leigh. “This optimises heat transfer to create a longer-lasting boiler that we believe will beat the competition in every category of durability!”

The ground-breaking spiral rib heat exchanger design not only allows Fulton to improve boiler efficiency but, with virtually zero thermal stress, a thick walled construction and featuring vertical tubeless design architecture, the VSRT is one of the most durable steam boilers available.

It features a fully waterbacked pressure vessel, which is wrapped in high-density insulation to achieve minimal thermal losses and low outer surface temperatures. The tubeless design has also enabled Fulton to create a compact boiler with minimal footprint.

No refractory also means significantly lower weight (compared to traditional vertical steam boilers) for ease of installation.

Ultra-low NOx emissions of less than 20ppm are achieved thanks to the VSRT’s combustion technology, which features a modulating burner and furnace that have been purposely-designed as a single component and fully-matched with the VSRT in mind. This has helped Fulton to achieve up to 10:1 turndown capabilities and industry-leading performance of >82.5% gross thermal efficiency and 99.75% steam quality at 8 bar. When correctly sized for applications, the exceptionally high turndown will result in savings above and beyond those gained from the stated efficiencies.

With features including a tubeless design, no internal refractory and revolutionary cyclonic air filtration, the VSRT is extremely easy to maintain and operate.

For applications where contaminated air can reduce boiler uptime – such as laundry and dry cleaning – the VSRT’s cyclonic air filter effectively separates debris and damaging particles from the combustion air and, because it won’t clog over time, eliminates the need for replacement filters. Maintenance is further improved compared to other vertical boilers thanks to the VSRT’s industrial control platform and easy access to the pressure vessel.

The VSRT is currently available with outputs from 160 to 960 kg/h, complies with the City of London Air Quality Strategy and anticipated MCPD regulations, is constructed to BS EN 12953 and CE marked to PED. Its pressure vessel and burner are backed by a five year guarantee as standard.

For further information on the VSRT Series, contact Fulton on Tel: 0117 972 3322, Email sales@fulton.co.uk Web: www.fulton.co.uk PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

featured article

The Importance of

‘Good Data’

when Tuning PID Loops 4 Most Common Data Collection & Controller Tuning Pitfalls

By Damien Munroe

A

sk technicians and engineers about manually tuning PIDs. Their responses usually fall into one of three different groups: 1) Some who will say it’s a “dark art” and won’t stray from an OEM’s default parameters, 2) The majority who will describe approaches that are based on seemingly random trial-and-error, and 3) Very few who will have truly figured it out. My career has thankfully allowed me to rub shoulders with enough practitioners from that last group and with their guidance I’ve cultivated a list of tuning tips that have served me well.

The topic of manual loop tuning reminded me of consultancy services I provided to a Food & Beverage supplier located in the UK. It was a chocolate products manufacturer and as with most confectioners this one relied on PID controllers to maintain temperature of the plant’s tempering and enrobing systems. Over several months leading up to my contract control across the plant had steadily deteriorated, resulting in a noticeable loss in the “snap” that high quality chocolate should have. Something as seemingly trivial as poor control was causing the plant to waste costly inputs and even discard product that failed to meet production spec.

The plant manager understood that production could stray beyond designated tolerances for only so long before the business would suffer. During my initial discussion with him I learned that the slip in performance coincided with the retirement of a senior engineer. He’d been the one that checked the PIDs every 6-9 months and who singled out those that needed occasional adjustments. It quickly became obvious to me that the retiree was one of those few who had truly figured it out. That assumption was later confirmed by others on staff.

I spent a number of days learning about the processes, investigating root-causes and tuning individual PIDs. Ultimately I found that the plant’s degraded performance resulted from a series of pumps that had FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

been upgraded across the plant. Their dynamics directly impacted each loop’s ability to regulate control. What surprised the young technician who’d assisted me was how systematic the processes of testing, analyzing and tuning PIDs could be – even when manually tuning loops.

Fortunately for practitioners most plants are now equipped with a DCS or other control system that supports the use of tuning software. That’s key to my current endeavors in the process optimisation sphere. Even so, there are four basic tips for collecting good test data that I always share with those who still tune their PIDs manually:

1. Start at a Steady-State

This is a must if tuning loops manually, and most tuning products include this requirement as well. By steadying the process it’s easier to calculate values for Process Gain, Process Time Constant, and Process Dead-Time which can then be converted into PID tuning parameters.

2. Bump Beyond the Noise

It’s important to drive the Process Variable beyond any noise that’s apparent in the process signal. I recommend tests that

are 3-5 times the size of the noise band. That should reveal a process’ dynamic behavior which can then be modeled and controlled.

3. Set a Speedy Sample Rate

The data collection speed matters when tuning PIDs, and faster is always better. While 1-minute data may be suitable for very slow Temperature loops, data sampled at 1-second is needed for fast Temperature, Pressure, and Flow loops. If the data is too slow, it may miss important details.

4. Don’t Use Disturbance Data

It’s essential to establish the cause-and-effect relationship between your test and the loop’s response. That means it’s necessary to keep all other loops “quiet” during testing. If an upstream process influences your test data, then it’d be best to start again and get it right.

As with most things there are best-practices for tuning PID controllers that can make the work less daunting. And while the four tips shared in this post may seem straight forward, few practitioners apply them when collecting test data for analysis, modeling and optimisation. Previously I offered thoughts on root-cause analysis and optimisation – a Systems Thinker approach which also applies to manual loop tuning.

In my next post I shared simple, repeatable steps for calculating both process and controller tuning parameters.

19

FLUIDS & LIQUIDS HANDLING incl. Pumps & Valves New versions of well-known mixproof valve designed to meet your industry challenges Cover your industry specific needs with the new Alfa Laval Unique Mixproof High Alloy and UltraPure versions A reliable process with flexibility and sustainable advantages ensures high product quality and strengthens your competitiveness in hygienic manufacturing of food, dairy & beverage,.

Food / Dairy / Beverage industries: Manufacturers of products containing high chloride concentration or low pH-levels often face corrosion challenges in their hygienic processes. A few examples: •Food: Soy sauce, ketchup or citrus acid extraction •Dairy: Lactic acid, whey and brine from cheese manufacturing •Beverage: Isotonic drinks, minerals dosing and hot water systems Meeting the demand for higher corrosion resistance, Alfa Laval’s newly launched high alloy versions of its well-known Unique Mixproof valve secure superior product safety and longer equipment lifetime. The new Alfa Laval Unique Mixproof High Alloy version comes in two optional materials: Hastelloy C22 and AL6XN. For more information contact Alfa Laval on Tel: +46 46 36 71 01 | E-mail: eva.schiller@alfalaval.com

SMART ACTUATOR OPTIMISES CONTROL VALVE PERFORMANCE To obtain the precision required of many PLC flow control systems, Badger Meter has launched its next generation Smart Electric Valve Actuator (SEVA). Available through PUMP ENGINEERING, the actuator is built with military grade components to withstand extreme conditions while the microprocessor controlled linear stepper motor provides exceptional positional accuracy to give the reliability, accuracy and repeatability needed.

Two models are available with 100ft-lb (135Nm) and 200ft-lb (270Nm) thrust options suitable for 1/4” – 2” Badger Research Control™ valves. The actuators utilise the Industrial Ethernet Protocol (EtherNet/IP) and are certified by the Open DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA). SEVA actuators feature a dual-port Industrial Ethernet card and can be set-up via the built-in firmware or via a USB port. For applications which require a higher level of information for their control systems, the actuators allow for both linear and Device Level Ring (DLR) network topologies.

The actuators are designed for extreme conditions and provide accuracy of (±1% of full scale) with 5 available positions when there is a loss of power; continue operation, fully closed, fully open, hold position, or target value. They also feature 4 positions when there is a loss of signal; fully closed, fully open, hold position, or target value. Both the full closed and full open positions are defined during set-up.

In addition, for precise applications, the SEVA offers a loop-powered feedback signal which actively communicates stroke position to the control system; it also features a manual override capability to help operators when there is a loss of power.

The actuator assembly provides the option to include 2 user-adjustable limit switch outputs, while an external signal is provided once the set points of the limit switch are met. Furthermore, it can split the incoming 4-20 mA signal and use either the lower or higher range of the signal for full stroke operation.

SEVA was specifically designed to minimise the number of models needed to work with different electrical demands. Its universal AC input with voltage protection will work with 115 VAC, 230 VAC and 24 VDC power supplies which ensures the confidence that it will provide a single source for different process needs. SEVA can receive analog input signals from 4-20 mA, 0-5 VDC or 0-10 VDC. They are available with FM or ATEX EExd IIB T6 approvals for hazardous areas and are IP66 rated Further details on Badger Meter SEVA Actuators are available from: Christopher Newberry, Pump Engineering Ltd, Riverside Estate, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5DF. Tel: 01903 730900. | Email: sales@pumpeng.co.uk | Web: www.pumpeng.co.uk

Get your pumps health checked Older pumps not only consume too much energy, they are also prone to failure that can adversely affect your business and your maintenance budget.

By replacing them with new, energy-efficient pumps, you get reliable, low-cost pump operation.

This is what a large office building in central London did when they replaced obsolete pumps with new, energy-efficient models following a Grundfos Energy Check. The pumps now operate to meet the actual demand, and the new pumps are delivering a saving 318,000 kWh per year after they followed through on recommendations they received having undertaken a Grundfos Energy Check.

This amounts to a massive saving of £30k p.a., a large reduction in CO 2 emissions and a payback of just 2.8 years . Grundfos are typically able to achieve savings of 30-50% for customers with an Energy Check. As they point the way towards the optimal pump replacement that provide great energy savings. In addition, you will achieve reliable operation, reduced downtime and reduced repair costs.

The result: greatly improved system reliability.

Visit www.grundfos.co.uk to learn more.

20

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

SPRING EDITION 2018

BPMA CONTINUES LOOKING FORWARD WITH A NEW PRESIDENT Mr. Duncan Lewis, Managing Director of Xylem Water Solutions UK Ltd has been announced as the new President of the British Pump Manufacturers Association Limited (BPMA).

The role was officially passed on at the recent BPMA Annual General Meeting, where Mr Peter Reynolds, Managing Director of Grundfos Pumps Ltd, completed his two-year tenure as President and graciously handed the baton onto his worthy successor.

Steve Schofield, Director and Chief Executive of the BPMA commented, “This is a great accolade and one that reflects the continuing efforts that Duncan makes to raise the profile of the industry in general and

to tackle the tough issues that it faces today. The BPMA has enjoyed the support and engagement of some very talented people at its helm over the years, including of course Peter Reynolds, and we are delighted to have Duncan join that impressive line-up. I look forward to working with him as we continue to drive the association forward”.

Duncan’s presidency coincides with the uncertainty that BREXIT is currently bringing to industry and when asked to comment, Duncan said, “Being elected as President of the BPMA is a great honour and to take on the role in these somewhat trying times will no doubt be challenging. Brexit is clearly a very important subject with potential opportunities and threats for our industry, but I am sure with the help and support of BPMA staff, its Board and its Council we will meet this challenge”

01

red concern The new Radio Equipment Directive – it could have far reaching implications!

In this article, Steve Schofield, Director and CEO, British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) offers a quick overview of this contentious legislation.

The Radio Equipment Directive supersedes the former R&TTE (Radio & Telecommunications Terminal Equipment) Directive and determines that all and any products that are equipped or combined with a device for transmitting or receiving signals via ‘radio waves’ is in scope of the Directive and so can, and will, be regarded as a RED product.

Some would argue that this is an unsatisfactory situation, with most companies taking a pragmatic view and continuing to follow the well-known and fully established procedure in accordance with the R&TTE Directive – the predecessor of RED. In this historical approach, all the equipment that combines to make the machine (and which is now subject to the Radio Equipment Directive) is shipped accordance with the Machinery Directive.

Clearly, the introduction of RED will create another layer of documentation and conformity requirement that will have far reaching implications for many equipment manufacturers, as they strive to effectively service the needs of the ‘connected environment’ and the ‘smart factory’.

The European Commission has now published the updated list of harmonised standards in the framework of the implementation of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), which came into effect on 14 July 2017 (C 229/24).

Additionally, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on RED has been recently updated. It covers key clarifications on the scope and application of RED, as well as the status of publication of harmonised standards, and how manufacturers can ensure compliance with the Directive in the absence of standards.

An informal meeting on the Radio Equipment Directive was organised and hosted by the Commission on 3rd October. This meeting focused on the harmonised standards prepared for Articles 3(2) and 3(3) which prescribe the essential requirements of the Directive.

More details on RED can be found in the Orgalime Guidance Document which is available from the BPMA, along with the list of FAQ’s.

Please contact Steve Schofield at the BPMA s.schofield@bpma.org.uk - to request your copies.

02

old or new Let BPMA help with your pump selection Old pumps not only consume too much energy, they are also prone to failure which can adversely affect your maintenance budget and in turn your business. By replacing them with new, correctly sized, energy-efficient pumps, you will enjoy reliable, low-cost pump operation.

As a way of helping pump users to undertake that all-important pump selection, the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) developed a comprehensive online Pump Selection Search Facility, which is available for anyone to use.

This easy to use online search facility can be readily accessed via the existing BPMA website www.bpma.org.uk/pump-search/1/ Pumps and is completely free of charge.

How to use The Pump Search There are two ways to search for your perfect pump and its supplier: Search One: You know the type of pump you need If you know the type of pump you are looking for, you just need to click on the Pump Type drop-down menu, select your Pump Type then click Show Results. This will offer you a list of BPMA members who will be able to supply this type of pump.

Search Two: You know the application, but not the pump type If you are not sure of your Pump Type, but know what it will be used for, simply click on the Pump Application drop-down menu, select your application and then click Show Results. This will offer you a list of BPMA members who can supply pumps suitable for that particular application.

If your initial search delivers a large number of potential suppliers, it can be further refined by selecting extra parameters from the options available in the left hand column, which include Head, Flow, Drive Type, Material etc.

Only BPMA members are displayed on this search engine and all BPMA members have agreed to adhere to the BPMA Code of Conduct, so you are assured of high quality, fully compliant, energy efficient pumps on every selection.

You can now use the Pump Search to easily find the correct pump for your requirements and then manufacturers and suppliers of liquid pumps and other pump related equipment.

Reader Enquiries to: Steve Smith, Administrator, British Pump Manufacturers Association Ltd. National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 6PY Tel : +44 (0)121 601 6691 | Email : s.smith@bpma.org.uk | Web; www.bpma.org.uk

training young engineers Time to acknowledge and celebrate our engineers The prestigious Pump Industry Awards Dinner, which is produced annually by Touchwave Media on behalf of the BPMA, is the ideal opportunity to recognise the exceptional engineering talent that our industry currently enjoys. The skill, innovation, and dogged determination shown by this sector’s engineering staff ensure the delivery of effective and efficient pumping systems, time and again.

From pump manufacturers and distributors, through to sector specific end users and system integrators, the depth of technical knowledge and application know- how is really first class. But this high level of engineering excellence doesn’t just happen of course! It takes a great deal of support and encouragement by the employers, and of course hard work, dedication and ongoing training by the individuals themselves.

The BPMA is extremely proud of the training programmes that it has been able to offer the pump sector over the years, and remains committed to the ongoing progression of all those opting for an engineering career within the pump sector.

This commitment to providing high calibre training modules (all of which are now CPD accredited), along with the constant drive to help pump companies and their engineers to improve their technical and operational knowledge of pump systems, also supports and underpins a healthy and robust industry.

Additionally, it helps to encourage new engineers into the sector, by demonstrating the opportunity for personal ongoing development and career progression – something which is key to any industry, in helping address whatever skills gap might exist!

However, this individual commitment to engineering excellence often goes unnoticed outside of the specific projects or companies with which these individuals are engaged. That is why the ‘Engineer of the Year’ category within the annual Pump Industry Awards programme is crucial to this endeavour. It provides the ideal platform through which to honour their achievements.

Alan Burrows, Editor, World Pumps, commented, “Bringing new talent into the pump industry and keeping our young engineers motivated to stay there is a major challenge for all manufacturers. Without the support and incentive to grow, there will be no technical innovations within either product development or the all-important project and applications arena. Today’s young engineers will be at the heart of environmental contributions of the future and form the core talent of the top pump manufacturers of tomorrow; reason enough therefore to acknowledge and reward their efforts through this awards programme.”

The 2018 Pump Industry Awards Ceremony will take place on 22nd March at the Heythrop Park Hotel in Oxfordshire.

bpma & brexit BPMA Delivers Brexit Position Statement On March 29th 2019 the UK will leave the European Union, it is clear from daily news that this is possibly one of the most complex scenarios a UK Government has ever had to deal with. This very important subject will offer potential opportunities and no doubt threats for the pump industry.

To assist BPMA members in understanding Brexit, a group of BPMA Council members have held meetings to discuss the possible issues and opportunities and from this they have written a position paper.

This has subsequently been approved by the full BPMA Council and then endorsed by members at the recent Annual General Meeting.

Since then the position paper has been circulated to MP’s, civil servants and government departments dealing with Brexit and has received a positive response. The make-up of this position paper is detailed below: About the BPMA Established in 1941, and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 2009, the British Pump Manufacturers Association’ (BPMA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing the interests of UK and Irish manufacturers and suppliers of liquid pumps and other pump related equipment.

BPMA members account for approximately 85% of the total UK production of pumps, of which half a billion pounds worth of pumps is exported to Europe and over one billion pounds worth of pumps is imported from Europe to the UK. It is estimated that the pump Leaving the European Union Leaving the European Union will affect all of us in the UK in some way. The BPMA have surveyed its members and the following issues are major areas of concern.

The Single Market and Customs Union If Britain decides to leave the Single Market, there is no point in being part of the Customs Union; leaving would allow the British Government to subsequently agree its own trade deals. International trade deals however are known to take many years to agree and it will require a lengthy transition period to avoid major issues within the pump sector.

The best option from an economic perspective is for Britain stay in the single market or the customs union and to continue with “Free Trade” in both directions with unrestricted movement of capital within a company across Europe. The British Government may give a new name to a new agreement with the European Union; however it is imperative that there are no barriers to trade in either direction.

EU Nationals and possible Skills crisis Almost 80% of our industry employs EU Nationals and they wish to continue to do so. We believe that a controlled movement of people with a certain level of skills will continue to be a benefit to our sector and the UK in general.

As a manufacturing sector our industry uses staff within a shop floor environment to a board room, from technical design office to on site commissioning and we currently have EU nationals in many of these positions.

Universities should be able to continue to offer placements for overseas students from within and outside of the EU. They should be given a privileged status to remain in the UK 2 years after their tertiary education before applying for permanent residency.

We request that any future agreements regarding EU Nationals working in the UK does not create a skills shortage in our sector.

CE Marking and the Declaration of Conformity of Products Pumps placed on the market within the EU are currently required to meet certain safety, environment and energy related Directives and regulations. The CE mark along with the declaration of conformity gives customers the satisfaction that pump products meet these strict requirements. After Brexit pumps sold into the EU will still require a CE mark and to meet all of the Directives and regulations.

Our sector requests that the CE mark remains without change along with retaining the Technical File in the UK if needed and using UK Notified Bodies.

For further information on the BPMA’s Brexit Position Paper, please contact BPMA Directorand CEO, Mr Steve Schofield - s.schofield@bpma.org.uk

welcoming members

bpma joins euris

BPMA Membership Continues to Grow

BPMA Follows-up its Brexit Position Statement with Membership of EURIS

The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) which represents the business interests of UK and Irish suppliers of liquid pumps and related pumping equipment on both the domestic and international stage, reports continued growth in its membership numbers, with another three companies recently joining the organisation.

One such company who will begin to enjoy the benefits of membership is Teesside based distributor, Tomlinson Hall & Co Ltd. Founded in 1919, Tomlinson Hall has gained considerable expertise in the pump industry, and has a proud history of innovation. As an approved global distributor for a wide range of leading pump brands, Thomlinson Hall works with high profile clients in both the UK and overseas markets, including Europe, the Middle East, North America, South America and Asia.

From its headquarters in Billingham, North East England, the company works closely with end-users to find the right pump system solution for them; offering a total service to industry – including pump selection and supply, site visits, problem solving, servicing and repairs.

Speaking of the decision to join the BPMA, Managing Director, Tony Keville, said, “We’ve considered becoming members of the BPMA for a good number of years, but now seems to be the right time for Tomlinson Hall to join its peers. We are primarily known in the Industry as Pump Distributors however we are also a Pump Manufacturer in our own right; producing “Liquivac”, a range of Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps. I feel sure our engagement will help in our continued efforts to deliver the best possible service to both our existing clients and of course to our expanding list of new customers across the domestic and global market place.

Another company to realise the benefits of BPMA membership is Derby based Exalto Bearings UK Ltd, which manufactures bespoke and standard sized rubber- lined and composite cutlass bearings for the pump and marine industries. All its bearings are produced in-house and the company specialises in the manufacture For the Pump industry, Exalto Bearings works with some of the biggest pump manufacturers and pump repair companies in the world – creating custom-made pump bearings to suit any application. Its innovative modular production tooling system means non-standard items can be produced with little or no additional tooling costs.

Dennis Rawle, Managing Director, commented, “We’re delighted to be joining the BPMA, which will no doubt provide an opportunity for both our businesses, Exaltoand Graphalloy® (each part of the Graphite Metallizing Group), to work more closely with pump industry professionals in showcasing our range of bearings. Membership will enable us to improve our networking opportunities, in what is a key industry sector for us, and in turn support the continued growth of both our companies.”

Blackwood Engineering, a global supplier of castings and counterweights, has also made the move into BPMA membership. Founded in 1946 as a general foundry, the company has diversified and expanded its product offering to include ductile iron and steel as well as more complex engineered castings.

Commenting on the recent additions to the BPMA membership, Steve Schofield, Director and Chief Executive of the BPMA said, “We are delighted to welcome these companies into the BPMA, and afford them all of the support services at our disposal.

Their varied product and service offerings dovetail nicely with that of other members, and we look forward to developing strong and mutually rewarding relationships with each of them.”

The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) which represents the business interests of UK and Irish suppliers of liquid pumps and pumping equipment throughout both the domestic and international arena has joined with other leading trade associations in its membership of EURIS. The European Union Relationship and Industrial Strategy is an advisory body for the potential impacts of the changing relationship between the UK and EU for the UK Government, manufacturers and media. EURIS members include such notable bodies as BEAMA, GAMBICA, EAMA, REA, CESA, FETA, MTA, BFPA and TechWorks, which between them represent over 4000 companies across electro- technical, electronics, renewables and mechanical engineering products.

It has a focus on product manufacturers covered by the Single Market and the supporting regulations and standards.

The member associations have extensive relationships with equivalent European trade bodies, and parts of the European Commission. The EURIS Taskforce produces Position Papers and Reports relating to the Brexit process relevant to the manufacturing sector. It also issues a weekly economic report to its members based on a tracked set of macro market indicators ranging from international trade and the general economy through to productivity costs and price indices.

Steve Schofield, Director and CEO of BPMA commented, “Following hard on the heels of our own Brexit Position Paper, which we issued to Government at the end of last year, I am delighted that the BPMA Council has decided to join EURIS.” He continued, “Through our membership of this advisory body, we can ensure that our Members are kept abreast of all developments relating to Brexit and its likely impact on the UK’s engineering sector.”

Steve Brambley, CEO of GAMBICA and Vice Chair of EURIS, added, “We are delighted to welcome BPMA into membership, and to enhance the strong and co- operative working relations that already exist between our various organisations through the auspices of EURIS.” Further information on EURIS can be found via www.euristaskforce.org.

For further information relating to the BPMA please contact British Pump Manufacturers Association, National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich B70 6PY, UK Tel: 0121 601 6350 Fax: 0121 601 6373 E-mail: enquiry@bpma.org.uk or visit our website: www.bpma.org.uk The BPMA takes no responsability for the statements, claims or opinions expressed in this Newsletter

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members Double awards delight for Manufacturer of the Year Weir Minerals Europe Weir Minerals Europe has been named Manufacturer of the Year by the EFF (formerly Engineering Employers’ Federation) at the annual national award ceremony.

The Todmorden-based company competed against other leading manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Airbus and BAE Systems to claim the title at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards in London. It also triumphed in the Health and Safety award.

The panel of judges, made up of business leaders, industry experts and academics, was impressed with Weir Minerals’ continued commitment to investing in technology and efficiency, in addition to its ‘zero harm’ workplace policy.

While the company has a strong focus on health and safety, it has invested specifically in addressing ergonomic and musculoskeletal risks, driving home the message across every service centre and office in its region which covers Europe, North Africa, Turkey and Central Asia.

Jan Peter van Leeuwen, Weir Minerals Europe’s Managing Director, said the award highlighted both his team’s dedication to health and safety excellence, and the company’s culture of innovation.

“This is an incredible team effort,” he said. “We are proud to have secured this ahead of so many leading companies and it is an acknowledgement of our exceptional people, who make these milestones possible. We must continue to work closely together to deliver outstanding solutions for our customers.”

Weir Minerals was named as the regional winner for the north east, Yorkshire and the Humber in the Health and Safety category in November last year. Representatives travelled to London for the national ceremony, on January 25, where the company was named Healthand Safety winner before being awarded the overall title of Manufacturer of the Year. The company manufactures wearresistant, highly engineered processing equipment sold to’ a diverse range of sectors including mining and minerals processing, aggregates, water and industry in general.

Pictured: Dan Carr and Chris Wadsworth from Weir Minerals accept the Manufacturer of the Year and Health and Safety Awards at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards ceremony.

BPMA Announces 2018 Pump Industry Awards Finalists Following another exhaustive Judging Panel session at the offices of the BPMA on 31st January, the 2018 Pump Industry Awards Finalists have been determined.

From all the entries and nominations received, the Judges shortlisted 34 Finalists across the seven award categories to go through to the public vote. Those that were fortunate enough to be selected are as follows:-

Innovation Company - Xylem Water Solutions Foss Barrier Project

- Solutions in I.T. - Tapflo Pumps UK

Environmental Contribution of the Year Sponsored by SPP Pumps - Danfoss Drives for its contribution to Aarhus Water Project - Grundfos and Marriott Hotels improvements to their carbon footprint - HIGRA Brasil’s Cataguases/MG Project - Xylem Flygt 4320 Mixer

Engineer of the Year Sponsored by World Pumps - Prof. Dr. Emad Kamil Hussein, ATU - Luke Gardener, Grundfos Pumps - Greco Tusset de Moura, HIGRA Brasil

Distributor of the Year Sponsored by WEG UK Technical Innovation of the Year - Clyde Associated Engineers Product Sponsored by Process Industry - GM Treble Informer - The Pump Company - Aspen Pumps Max Hi-Flow Tank Pump - Tomlinson Hall & Co - ETM Direct Drive Pump Motor - Triark Pumps - Flowserve IPS Node - T-T Pumps - Grundfos SCALA2 - Siemens IQ Motors Manufacturer of the Year - The Tapflo UK LEAP – Low Energy Air Pump Sponsored by Siemens - Wilo UK Ceram-Teflon Coatings - Aspen Pumps Technical Innovation of the Year – Projects Sponsored by Wilo - Danfoss Drives for its work on the Aarhus Water Project - Amphibious Pump Model Installed in Maringá /PR Brazil at SANEPAR,HIGRA Brasil - Indicators of high energy efficiency of centrifugal pumps operating with avariable load profile, Ru Well Systems Private Research

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- Grundfos Pumps - KSB - SPP Pumps - Wilo UK - Xylem Water Solutions UK

Supplier of the Year Sponsored by Tomlinson Hall & Co - ABB - Danfoss

Details of all of these Finalists awards are now available to view on the dedicated website: www.pumpindustryawards.com/finalists.

An online voting form will be operational from 22ndFebruary -2nd March 2017 allowing readers to vote for who they think should be the outright winner in each category. So if you would like to have your say in which Finalists receive the Winners Trophies at the Gala Awards Dinner & Presentation on 22nd March at the Crowne Plaza, Heythrop Park, be sure to place your vote.

Places are still available at this ‘not to be missed event’ so whether it’s taking a table to host customers or booking a few seats for you, your team & partners, don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to enjoy a wonderful evening of great food, fantastic musical entertainment, networking & dancing until the early hours.

Places can be booked either online at www.pumpindustryawards.com/buy-tickets or via the downloadable booking form.

Have you got the energy to make savings?

Saving energy as well as CO 2 have become increasingly important targets for many companies. It will come as a pleasant surprise to realise that there are occasions when it is possible to achieve these ambitions and pumps are often a major contributor, as they provide the potential to deliver major

savings on both fronts.

So how can you achieve this? Well at Grundfos Pumps, we offer a range of diagnostic tools including an Energy Check that will help to establish the current pump system performance. This is exactly what we found out when we recently worked with a range of clients to see how we could help them.

This included a brewery where we delivered an energy saving of 75% simply by identifying and changing key pumps; a chassis manufacturer that benefitted from a pump upgrade and saved 51%, while a power plant saw a saving of 50% from taking Grundfos’ advice.

This means that regardless of if the priority is cost reduction, CO 2 savings, ROI, a water usage reduction or just simply to get advice on your current installations, Grundfos have the tools, expertise and integrity to help you to achieve your ambitions.

To find out more visit www.grundfos.co.uk and see how you can put your energy to better use or for Literature Request Email: grundfos-uk@sales.grundfos.com or Tel: 01525 850000

Grundfos centers on customers

MAKING LOW FLOW MORE EFFICIENT

The Grundfos Product Center (GPC) is an online selection support hub that will give anyone who has a requirement to design or replace a pump or pump system, straightforward access to a wide range of information.

By simply inputting basic head and flow parameters, the GPC will not only offer a choice of pump options, classed in various way, including by efficiency, but will give you access to a range of supplementary information. In addition, it provides you with a range of useful support tools such as a pipe friction loss calculator, NPSH calculator, cable calculator as well as a template for sizing a pumping station.

Like all good systems the GPC is a work-in- progress that is under constant development so it continues to scope and monitor how people are using it, where they are visiting to work out what more they may require from it.

With so much flexibility and a range of bespoke options that can help you to configure it to meet your own needs, the GPC is the place to head to, when you need more from your pumps and your pump supplier.

Combining the proven technologies of Sundyne Barske Wheel hydraulics with the HMD Kontro sealless magnetic drive, the GSPLF (LF for Low Flow) sealless pump has been developed to fill a gap in the market for a high-efficiency low flow magnetic drive centrifugal pump with a single stage high head capability. The GSPLF meets the requirements of API 685 and has full ATEX compliance, making it ideal for chemical and hydrocarbon processing applications.

Sundyne has over 50 years of experience in offering Barske Wheel pumps, designed to provide efficiency in the low specific speed regime often referred to as low flow, high head applications. These pumps have an open impeller with straight blades and a tapered conical diffuser to produce the desired performance. Development and testing demonstrates that this combination produces a head factor (ratio of developed head to theoretical head) considerably higher than that of traditional back-swept Francis vane impellers.

The combination of Sundyne Barske Wheel hydraulics with the HMD sealless magnetic drive, reliability, design flexibility, and efficiency is further optimised, ensuring trouble-free, safe and environmentally conscious plant operation. An additional advantage of the GSPLF is the flexibility inherent in the diffuser and impeller combination, which can easily be rerated should the duty point change without replacing the pressure casing.

HMD Kontro has more than 25 years’ experience in API applications and a 70 year track record in magnetic drive technology, being the first company to develop a magnetic drive sealless pump.

Further information visit www.sundyne.com/hmdkontro.

Alternatively, please call Tel: +44 1323 452141 or email vince. lee@sundyne.com.

For Literature request email: grundfos-uk@sales.grundfos. com or Tel: 01525 850000

Motors | Automation | Energy | Transmission & Distribution | Coatings

WEG Variable Speed Drives CONTROLLED PERFORMANCE WEG Variable Speed Drives are the easy answer for greater energy efficiency, control and versatility for all pump applications.

For machinery, pumping systems, HVAC-R or general purpose, WEG have a range of variable speed drives that are suitable for all purposes which are easy to set up and flexible to use.

From 0.18 to 630 kW our drives are the easiest way to improve the energy efficiency and prolong the lifespan of your electric motor.

For more information visit www.weg.net Visit us on Stand D710

Turning energy into solutions.

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Technology Focus:

Waste management With access to a reliable water supply predicted to fall short of demand by at least 40% by 2030 the need for a strong focus on sustainable water management has never been greater. Tom Grove, CEO of AESSEAL Inc, explains the water management systems which can massively reduce unnecessary usage and waste, whilst also improving plant reliability and achieving long term operational savings.

Water - one of our most valued resources but also one that is often written off as a simple by-product of industrial processes.

Wastage is particularly acute in industries such as pulp and paper, where up to six litres of water a minute can be injected into pumps and systems to flush and cool them before being treated and discarded at the end of the cycle.

But all companies using these systems can take simple steps to limit, and in some cases completely prevent, the wastage resulting from injected seal water – whilst at the same time improving reliability and reducing operational costs.

A highly cost-effective solution is upgrading the seal support systems on industrial pumps.

Mechanical seals perform a simple but vital role - to prevent fluid leaking from the shaft region of process pumps and other rotating equipment. They are a key component of machinery across a wide range of industries.

To function correctly it’s important the mechanical seal faces are kept cool and clean. This is often achieved by flushing a cool, clean liquid such as water, often provided from a separate system. A properly configured seal support system provides lubrication, prevents overheating (caused by dry running) and maximises reliability. There are many ways of configuring a seal support system, documented by the American Petroleum Industry (API), and standard configurations are defined by detailed ‘piping plans’.

The way a seal support system is configured heavily influences the amount of cooling liquid used and energy consumed.

The configuration can have a serious impact on the reliability of equipment, with cost implications in terms of downtime and repairs as well as wastage, so making sure they function to optimum capacity is essential for any company with a keen focus on sustainability and financial efficiency.

When water is injected into processes and subsequently needs to be evaporated off, wastage is inevitable. Likewise, once through

‘quench to drain’ configurations require a constant flow of clean water to be effective.

Simply reducing the amount of liquid being injected into a system to conserve water is not a long term or cost-effective solution. Lower fluid levels compromise the reliability of seals, increasing the risk of leakages and subsequent costly downtime and process outages.

Innovative developments in mechanical seal support systems mean leakages, wastage and excessive energy consumption do not have to be an accepted part of industrial life.

Companies can replace once-through quench to drain with continuous loop water management systems which use recycled water as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to the wasteful once-through piping plans.

These systems use an integral vessel to store flush water for continuous recycling.

The barrier fluid is circulated to and from the mechanical seal by thermosiphon, a method of passive heat exchange which circulates the fluid, minimising water wastage and providing more efficient cooling.

These systems come with the added benefit of improving pump reliability. Because the system is connected directly to the plant water line, which becomes the system’s fluid and pressure source, the seals can be protected from harmful products, making the pump more reliable.

The costs of installing continuous loop water management systems may be higher than those for simpler flush configurations, but they reap considerable rewards in terms of long term operational cost savings, as well as delivering improved plant reliability and making a powerful contribution to environmental sustainability, as evidenced by Netherlands based sugar producer Suiker Unie.

Reducing energy usage & improving reliability For Suiker Unie saving energy is a key element of its sustainability programme. It aims to cut energy consumption by 50% by 2030.

It was using packing to seal juice circulation pumps at its Dinteloord sugar refinery.

Typically after three 120-day campaigns the packing needed replacing, and wear caused by the packing meant the shaft sleeves also required replacement. Water used to maximise the life of the packing leaked into the product and needed to be removed by evaporation.

To address the leakage and shaft wear issues AESSEAL ® recommended replacing the packing with a CDSA dual seal along with a SW2 seal support system on

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twelve pumps coupled with a single FDU installation. Changing from packing to a dual mechanical seal eliminated shaft wear and after six years of operation (approximately seven campaigns) the system is operating without failure.

Changing to dual seals with support systems has resulted in no significant leakage of water and therefore saved energy as there is now no need to evaporate off seal water. With packing, water usage was measured to be 48 litres per hour, per pump, giving water usage per campaign to be 1,658m³ or 1,658 tonne return flow. To evaporate 1 tonne of water requires approximately 100m³ of gas. Total gas usage to evaporate the injected seal water is therefore 165,888m³.

As a result of the excellent performance the plant subsequently installed additional seals and support systems on 43 pumps, saving more than 5,944m 3 per year of water and reducing gas usage by 594,432m 3 per year. This is equivalent to approximately £181,000 per year saving.

Ab Barendregt, of Suiker Unie Dinteloord said: “For Suiker Unie, saving energy is one of our highest priorities, both during cultivation and in the production process.

“Energy savings in production: Suiker Unie’s energy saving target was to cut energy consumption throughout the supply chain by 4% by 2014 relative to 2005, the year in which the Multiyear Energy Efficiency Agreement was signed for businesses participating in the EU emissions trading system. Energy consumption was reduced further in 2011. Suiker Unie has invested in a compressor park in Dinteloord. All compressors are now air-cooled instead of water-cooled. This has produced an energy saving of 304,000 kWh. “The sugar factories at Dinteloord and Vierverlaten operate cogeneration plants to produce steam and electricity they use in the production process during the campaign. Suiker Unie produces more electricity than it actually needs. Suiker Unie is also working with the Brabant Environmental Federation to reduce its CO 2 emissions.

“Concerning seals: The biggest cost reduction was based on the flush water what went into the process. This water needed to be evaporated. Now Suiker Unie have almost no water entering the process due to the support systems. A smaller cost reduction is based on the energy for the motors. They needed a lot of energy because of the breaking or chucking impact of the packing on to the shaft. A seal hasn’t got any friction.”

Continuous loop water management systems have a proven record of achieving significant gains in water conservation, operational reliability and cost efficiency across many industries.

But one of the incalculable benefits is the huge boost to a company’s reputation as sustainability leaders.

ITT unveils i-ALERT® Ai Platform

The simple online asset intelligence (Ai) platform is the latest service to be introduced since the i-ALERT2 Bluetooth Smart-enabled machine health monitor was launched in May 2015. The breakthrough innovation and the various features added over the past two years enable customers to spend less time collecting data from their rotating equipment and more time solving problems. i-ALERT Ai Online Platform With the i-ALERT Ai platform, customers can monitor and manage all their i-ALERT enabled machines and sensors in a simple web interface. This subscription service requires no software to download or dedicated hardware to run. It allows customers to view trend data, machine notes, technical data and vibration spectrum data collected via the i-ALERT2 application (app), all visualized in a simple timeline.

Data Collection Time Reduced by 50 Percent This online web interface complements the route customization feature introduced in

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2016, which cuts collection of machine performance data by as much as 50 percent.

Customers can manage the data collection via the i-ALERT mobile app by setting up designated routes and the app will automatically guide a user to which assets and what type of date to collect on the route. Once a route is completed, the app will automatically generate a report and email it to the customer.

Features & Benefits With the i-ALERT2 sensor, the mobile app and the Ai platform, customers can have a seamless monitoring solution that will enable them to safely inspect multiple pieces of equipment and be alerted of potential problems before they become critical failures.

Broadly, some of the features and benefits are: - Asset Intelligence: Monitor the equipment health of any rotating machine such as pumps, motors, fans, mixers, gear boxes and more. It tracks 3-axis vibration, temperature, kurtosis and machine run-time. It logs data at every hour or on an alarm event. · Easy to Use: With the free mobile app and simple interface, it puts machine monitoring in the hands of the everyday user. · Save Time: The app will quickly scan multiple machines at once and cover more equipment with fewer resources, freeing time for analysis and troubleshooting. · Stay Safe: A Bluetooth® Smart wireless connection allows monitoring from a safe distance. · Early Detection: Unplanned machine failures can be avoided with the early detection feature of the i-ALERT monitoring solution. Customers can now view real-time and historical data, diagnostic information and machine records. This provides them with the data necessary to make informed decisions. · Solve Problems: Advanced vibration diagnostic tools are available to anyone who can use a smartphone or tablet. With the Ai platform, customers will be able to monitor i-ALERT2 enabled machines anywhere they have an internet connection.

With the i-ALERT Ai platform, customers have access to a seamless monitoring solution that is easy to use and access. The i-ALERT2 monitor is certified in 78 countries and the mobile app is available on iOS and Android platforms.

Request a copy of the iAlert Application guide from – gouldssalesuk@itt.com or telephone 01256 311904

Bredel pumps deliver 25% improvement to process uptime & contribute to reduced CO2 emissions at Italian organic waste recycling plant A total of seven Bredel 80 hose pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) have replaced competitor models on buffer tanks feeding the digester at a major Italian recycling plant.

The previous pumps were undersized when running at high speeds and subsequently demonstrated gearbox wear and hose life issues. However, these problems have been completely eliminated with the introduction of Bredel pumps. In fact, such has been their success that Bredel 65 pumps are now being

considered for a further application.

Montello SpA is a market leader in sorting, recovery and recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging, as well as treatment, recovery and recycling of organic waste. At the company’s 350,000m2 plant near Bergamo, waste is used to produce biogas from an anaerobic digestion process that in turn generates electric and thermal energy, as well as high quality organic fertiliser.

Heavy-duty application The company uses pumps to feed the digester from buffer tanks. This is a high temperature and high flow (21m3/hr), 24/7 application. The sludge is viscous with high dry solids content (up to 60-70%), which can include sand – a highly abrasive constituent. Pressure is a further issue: for safety reasons involving the production of gas, the digesters are located far from the plant, so the discharges are up to 100 metres distant.

As a result of these challenges, Montello’s existing pumps and hoses were falling short of expectations in terms of process uptime and operational costs, particularly when running at elevated speeds. In search of a solution, the company turned to WMFTG, requesting a trial of two Bredel 80 pumps. The closed loop, speed controlled pump, running against a discharge pressure of 5.5 bar delivered an impressive process uptime by 25% using an NR (natural rubber) hoses.

With the new pumps and hoses in place, the customer now achieves a reliable process that offers predictable gas generatio and known maintenance costs. Today, seven Bredel 80 hose pumps are installed.

“This is a perfect example of the growing demand for pumps in waste recycling applications,” says Pietro Spagnolo, Sales Engineer at WMFTG. “Fermenting biowaste is the current focus of many recycling companies and energy producers in Europe, as the process provides significant reductions in CO2 emissions. The Montello plant alone achieves annual CO2 savings of around 90,000 tonnes. This is why the installed capacities in biogas plants fermenting municipal and industrial bio-waste will increase from 900 MW in 2014, to around 1,750 MW in 2023. We expect the number of plants in Europe to grow from 800 to over 1,450 in this time, representing significant opportunities for Bredel hose pump technology.”

More potential Montello is already looking at Bredel 65 pumps for further applications, this time on the pretreatment prior to the buffer tanks. Here, flow is 10m3/hr, and once again abrasion is proving a concern. The customer has spoken with experts at WMFTG, discussing the principal technology differences of Bredel pumps, namely the use of direct-coupled technology versus the close-coupled technology of the encumbant pumps. The next stage will be the acquisition of a single Bredel 65 pump for use in a long term trial against existing pumps.

For more information contact Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, Falmouth, Cornwall.

Tel: 01326 370370 E-mail: info@wmftg.com Web: www.wmftg.com

Flowserve Offers Seal Failure Analysis APP

Providing a solution to the challenges associated with mechanical seal failures, Flowserve now offer a very simple tool to help diagnose the root-cause of seal failure.

According to its own analysis, some 98% of mechanical seals prematurely fail long before they have reached their optimum design life-time expectancy.

The Flowserve Seal Failure Analysis app’ is a web-based tool that has been specifically designed to visually identify and prevent future mechanical seal failures.

Accessible via desktop, tablet and mobile devices, this easy-to-use reference tool is an invaluable resource for Reliability Engineers and Maintenance staff, tasked with troubleshooting and preventative maintenance.

While Mechanical seal failures are the number one cause of Pump and Mixer down-time, this area represents a great opportunity to reduce whole life costs on site across all pump systems.

Shaun Hampson, General Manager of the Manchester (UK) facility said, “This new way of supporting our customers, on a 24/7/365 basis, provides engineers with more than 100 years of acquired knowledge at their finger-tips. When a seal fails, it is often a critical breakdown situation and companies don’t have the time to wait for an engineering expert to visit the site in order to provide a diagnosis. The App is incredibly easy to use and can lead to extended mechanical seal life. Our own members of staff use this tool!”

For more information on Flowserve mechanical seals, pumping equipment, upgrading, repairs, or other flow-control equipment please contact customer support team via email at ProcessUK@Flowserve.com.

AxFlow strengthens service operations with German acquisition AxFlow Germany is strengthening its service offering with the acquisition of Pumpen Karrer, a family-owned company specialised in industrial equipment repair and maintenance, especially pumps. Pumpen Karrer’s major business segments are chemicals, food & beverage, and building & construction.

The acquired operations will become a regional base for AxFlow Germany service in the Allgau region west of Munich. Pumpen Karrer has been a KSB Pump service partner for 46 years, and AxFlow will take over the service agreement with KSB as part of the transaction.

The benefits of the transaction flow in both directions, with cross-selling opportunities for both Pumpen Karrer and AxFlow. “Pumpen Karrer’s service business complements our pump business without overlapping,” says Georg Niebch, Managing Director, AxFlow Germany.

“Their workshop will be used to reinforce AxFlow’s existing pump repair and maintenance business. Meanwhile, their service business can benefit from increased visibility through AxFlow’s market presence and field sales network.”

Founded in 1966, Pumpen Karrer is now owned by the founder’s son and daughter, who will continue to be involved in operations. “The company matches AxFlow’s values very well,” Niebch adds. “It is a good, independent service company with a long history, great team and excellent reputation. We are looking forward to building the business together.”

Pumpen Karrer CEO Roland Karrer also sees big benefits in working together. “We are very much looking forward to our future as part of AxFlow Germany, and we are sure that we can add an important part to the further development of this company,” he says.

AxFlow Germany is part of the AxFlow Group, the Fluid Handling Solutions business group within Axel Johnson International. The AxFlow Group serves customers in the ceramics, chemical & petrochemical, food, pharmaceutical, pulp & paper, and water & waste water industries with equipment from world-leading manufacturers.

For more information, please contact: Georg Niebch, Managing Director, AxFlow GmbH, Tel: +49 211 23806-0, georg.niebch@axflow.de Lars Carlson, CFO, AxFlow, Tel: +46 (0)8 545 476 71, lars.carlson@axflow.com

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Examining the benefits of Screw Centrifugal pumps

by Malcolm Walker - Product Manager Centrifugal Pumps, AxFlow

In any pumping application, it is always necessary to match the pump type to the application in order to achieve the desired result. One aspect of this selection process is matching the impeller type to the nature of the fluid being pumped. Where liquids with a large solid content of a delicate nature are concerned then free passage through the pump housing and a gentle pumping action are essential. One particular centrifugal pump fits this particular bill perfectly and does so across a wide spectrum of applications in food processing and beverage production; and that is the screw centrifugal pump.

The Technology Although centrifugal screw pumps work on the same principle as any other centrifugal pump, the impeller’s relative length, which results in a more gradual increase in the impeller’s diameter along with the design of the inlet blade profile, means that media entering the pump undertakes a long slow turn around the long radius, low angled vane. The hydraulic gradient within the pump generates a gradual pressure and slow change from axial to radial flow in a smooth process with little shear.

As a result the screw centrifugal pump offers several important benefits to the food production engineer. The low shear pumping action enables them to handle delicate products; the wide fluid channel within the impeller allows the free passage of solids up to 120 mm in diameter while the gradual pressure increase results in a very low Net Positive Suction Head requirement (NSPHr).

The impellers come in different profiles each designed for the nature of the fluid being pumped. Open impellers are most typically employed for handling abrasives, coarse suspended solids, fibrous materials and viscous fluids, whereas closed impellers are associated with highly abrasive media or the gentle movement of sensitive media(Fig.2).

Applications

Fig. 1 Hidrostal Blue End suction pump Furthermore, the internal components experience less wear than many alternative pump types contributing to lower maintenance costs and a longer working life.

The efficiency of the screw impeller pump (Fig.1) is significantly higher than other types of pumps used for similar applications.

The pump head curves are continuous and steep, making it costefficient to adjust the pump operation to the specific pumping requirement and in particular speed- controlled operation.

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Originally designed for use in the water and waste water industry where they have proved excellent at handling various types of solid-ladened sewage and the safe transfer of fresh water containing fish, screw centrifugal pumps have found numerous applications within the food and beverage industry where delicate solids are an issue.

Hidrostal’s F-Type pump is a good example of where the screw impeller pump is used extensively in the food industry. This version uses a shrouded single spiral vane impeller that is axially extended for smoother operation. Because of their ability to pump liquids with a high solid content delicately F- Type pumps can be found in brewing where they are commonly used in malt production for carrying grain in water without any damage to the germ, as well as for mashing, lautering, wort circulation and trubbing.

The transfer of fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables and

Fig.2 Impeller principles chart

fish is another area where Hidrostal screw centrifugal pumps have proved very successful, particularly as they offer the versatility to operate within closed pipe transfer systems as opposed to being restricted to conveyors, elevators or containers. The enclosed pipework system has the benefit of being more hygienic and cleaner as it is protected from any potential harmful elements in the immediate environment.

Operational costs are also reduced with enclosed pipeworks as maintenance is far easier than with conveyors and belts.

There is also health and safety advantages as there are fewer exposed moving parts. Sensitive handling of raw ingredients is not all that the F-Type pump offers users. The pump is ideally suited to the energy efficient circulation and removal of wash water used in the cleaning of raw ingredients and applications where there is limited NPSH available.

Summary The screw centrifugal pump provides yet another example of a technology finding applications in sectors for which it wasn’t originally developed and one where the higher initial investment is more than offset by the economics of its longer term reliability and aptitude to a good job.

WEG introduces a powerful addition to the W60 motor series Drive specialist extends its W60 power range up to 16,000 kW and offers frame sizes up to IEC 1000 (NEMA 1600) WEG, has extended its W60 motor series, which now covers a power range of 50016,000 kW at frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz. The three-phase induction motors are designed for the 2,300-13,800 V voltage range and are available with frame sizes from IEC 450 to IEC 1000 (NEMA 7000 to 1600). Designed for industrial applications such as compressors, pumps and fans, the W60 line provides high performance and reliability even under the most difficult operating conditions. The W60 is used mainly in the oil and gas sector, in mining, for electrical generation in power plants, in cement production, as well as in water and wastewater applications.

Robust, light, space-saving and efficient Due to its optimised design, the W60 series motors are not only more compact, but also lighter than their predecessors. The compact dimensions offer a significant advantage: the W60 motors take up to 50 % less installation space than comparable motors. This makes them one of the most compact modular motors of this type on the market. The rugged design with high-quality housing and end shield are made of grey cast iron up to the IEC 560 standard. Sizes above IEC 560 feature a steel housing. A specially designed motor shaft prevents critical flexural vibrations at rated speeds – as well as below the rated speed in the case of two-pole motors – and ensures particularly low vibration levels. As a result, the W60 motors are also suitable for applications with frequency converters or heavy vibration loads. Thanks to the high-quality rotor and stator lamination, low-loss fans and optimised heat exchangers, the W60 series motors achieve unusually high efficiency and power density (output power relative to the weight). As a result, standard W60 series industrial motors are among the most efficient of their type on the market. What’s more the W60 motors are engineered for continuous use, horizontal mounting configuration and are easy to install and commission. They are also ideal for use with medium-voltage frequency inverters as standard, with no speed restrictions due to critical vibration speeds. The three-phase induction motors are designed for protection classes IP24W to IP55 and are suitable for safe or hazardous areas (Safe or Hazardous: Ex-n, Ex-t, Class I Div. 2, Class II Div. 2).

For more information contact WEG (UK) Ltd Tel: +44(0)1527 513800 | Email: wegsales@wegelectricmotors.co.uk | Web: www.weg.net/uk

Albany Pumps A N E M P LOY E E O W N E D CO M PA N Y

A fresh approach from Albany Pumps

Albany Pumps makes a wide range of reliable and robust standard, customised and specialised positive displacement pumps. If you require an external gear pump, a twin screw pump or an internal lobe pump, we think you’ve found the right place: • 100+ years of experience and British manufacture

TOMLINSON HALL CELEBRATES 99TH YEAR WITH INNOVATIVE SCRAPPAGE SCHEME

• Employee ownership with a Trust to guarantee longevity

Billingham, UK-based pump distributor and manufacturer Tomlinson Hall is celebrating its 99th year in business by launching a pump scrappage scheme which can help end users save money on the running of older, energy inefficient pumps, and support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the process.

Under its ‘99 for 99’ initiative, the firm will give £99 to any company which replaces any old pump on their UK premises with a new DEPA® air operated double diaphragm (AODD) pump, which will be supplied by Tomlinson Hall.

The firm will safely dispose of the old pump and the scrap value of each pump replaced will be donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Pump users can either take their scrap pumps to Tomlinson Hall’s premises for disposal, or under the scheme, Tomlinson Hall’s engineering team will de-install the pumps on the customer’s site.

The DEPA® AODD range of pumps are designed and manufactured by CRANE, for which Tomlinson Hall is the sole UK distributor. The range includes stainless steel pumps, cast metal pumps, non-metal pumps and powder pumps, and they are used across a wide range of applications.

For more information, visit www.tomlinson-hall.co.uk

• Standards for every industry ATEX, CE, BSI, VdS and API

• CNC production plant in Lydney, Gloucestershire • Service and repair centre in Bradford, West Yorkshire • 100+ countries sold to worldwide • Over 10,000 proven application stories NEW

BROCHURE

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Download your essential guide to Albany Pumps now: www.albany-pumps.co.uk

Contact Sales on +44 (0) 1594 842 275 sales@albany-pumps.co.uk www.albany-pumps.co.uk 11

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION SIGNATROL LAUNCHES NEW LOW-COST USB TEMP & HUMIDITY DATA LOGGER Data logging specialists, Signatrol has added to its range of low cost battery powered USB data loggers with the launch of two versions of RC15H to measure both temperature and relative humidity. Signatrol already offers the RC15T in this range to measure temperature only.

The new data logger has been developed to monitoring the temperature and humidity of goods in transit.

The RC51TH can be configured for sample rates from 10 seconds up to 12 hours and has a reusable memory of 32,000 readings. The accuracy from -20°C to +40°C is ±0.5°C. The battery life is two years and is user replaceable.

The higher specification RC51TH-A is supplied with a three-temperature point and three humidity point. It comes with a UKAS 17025 traceable calibration certificate.

Both the RC51TH and the RC51TH-A are available in packs of 10pcs making significant savings on purchasing individually.

For more information contact Signatrol, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Tel: 01684 299399 | Web: www.signatrol.com

ACTUATED SOLUTIONS OFFERS WIDEST RANGE OF APL SWITCHBOXES ON MARKET One of the UK’s leading valve automation providers, Actuated Solutions, is announcing it now offers the widest range of genuine APL switchboxes on the market, and has even more product developments in the pipeline.

With six different APL switchboxes currently available starting with the very competitive aluminium bodied APL2 and extending to the new high specification, ATEX approved APL7 Explosion Proof switchbox with integral solenoid valve - Actuated Solutions continues to offer the market a one-stop-shop for all valve automation projects; whatever the level of complexity.

Commonly used in the water, general process and oil and gas sectors, switchboxes are a cost-effective way to monitor the performance of actuated valves, to ensure they fully open and close as required. Should an actuator be incorrectly sized or, if over time, it starts to lose performance, or the valve torque increases, the switchbox offers an extra layer of safety by recognising when an actuator is struggling to open or close, before alerting the user via the control panel and preventing potentially major problems.

The APL switchbox is available with a wide range of options including stainless steel housing, explosion proof or intrinsically safe certification, along with many different switches and sensors. All switchboxes are designed and built to extremely high standards by leading Korean manufacturer, HKC, and are supplied with beacon indicators and stainless-steel Namur brackets as standard.

With the widest range available, new products in development and an extensive install base across the UK, Actuated Solutions’ managing director, Paul Slaughter, believes the firm is in a strong position to offer both capability and continuity to businesses, whatever their current and future switchbox needs may be, but he also suggests a note of caution: “We’ve noticed an increase in alternative entry-level switchbox products arriving in the UK from a variety of sources and, in many cases, they are labelled in a very similar way to the market leading APL product. This can be confusing, so we always advise customers to make sure they understand what they are buying because when you buy a genuine APL switchbox through Actuated Solutions, you’re not just buying the switchbox, you’re buying over 30 years’ worth of experience in valve automation as well as expert advice and dedicated aftersales support.

“Ultimately, if it doesn’t say APL on the box, it isn’t going to be an APL product inside.”

To find out more about Actuated Solutions and the APL Switchbox range, please visit: www.actuated solutions.co.uk FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

The Pulsite Solo from Titan Enterprises is a low cost, battery powered rate & total flow indicator

These panel or surface mounting digital instruments, that require no external power when used with magnetic sensors or contact closures, are designed to be as versatile as possible permitting customisation to suit almost any flow measurement application. With housing constructed from durable polymer, and sealed to IP64 specifications, the Pulsite Solo can be used in a wide range of operating environments.

Designed for ease of use, programming on the Pulsite Solo is simple using the 2 front panel keys and following the prompts on the LCD display.

The replaceable battery life is estimated to be well in excess of 5 years when the Pulsite Solo is used as a flow totaliser. With rate readings, the life of the Pulsite Solo will depend on the duty cycle but is still several years. The Pulsite Solo can also be externally dc powered if required for example when used with an electronic sensor such as a Hall effect device. This affordable flow indicator will take frequencies from dc through to 2 KHz and scale them to display rate or total.

The scaling factors are adjustable from 0.01 to 9999 and the time base is selectable as seconds, minutes or hours.

For further information on the Pulsite Solo flow indicator please visit www.ratetotaliser.com or contact Titan Enterprises on Tel: +44-1935-812790 | Email: sales@flowmeters.co.uk

A British firm has devised a device to save time & money for thousands of companies Adding water to powder or granule mixes has long been done using pails or hosepipes. Time consuming, open to accident and operator error, there has never been a viable alternative.

Aquameter Ltd looks set to change that.

Their micro-controlled Abacus system delivers exact, pre-selected quantities of water from a single pipe -straight into the mixing vessel. This precise metering of the water means the operator can recreate batch consistency each time.

Operation is simple - the quantity of water required is programmed in, the RUN button pushed, and the water flows. A solenoid valve located in the water pipe closes the flow at the completion of the cycle - when the pre-set quantity has been reached.

The unit is already in use world wiide. Derek Baxter, International Projects Director with Filtrona International in Jarrow, says of the system: “We use the unit for metering water into a carbon-powder mix. Were it not for these units we would be using buckets of water, a line of hose, or a constantly changing mark on the tank - not that convenient.” He goes on: “With this thing we just dial new numbers in, and away we go - it’s obviously more accurate; using the meter than relying on staff to put it in by pail.”

For further information contact: John Morton, Aquameter limited 8 Woodlands Drive, Hoddesdon, EN11 8AZ Tel: 01 992 442 861 Email: john@aquameter.co.uk | Web: www.aquameter.co.uk 33

featured article

Stay in control of dosing

with PC pumps

By Lesley Eaton, Business Development and Marketing Manager, SEEPEX

Dosing pumps are an important piece of equipment for manufacturers and processors across a whole range of industries. For continuous processing and in-line blending, when it’s necessary to dispense a constant, accurate amount of product every time, dosing pumps are essential. But not all dosing pumps are the same – while most positive displacement pumps are capable of dosing, progressive cavity (PC) pumps are fast becoming the dosing pump of choice for customers looking for superior performance.

D

osing pumps are specified when accurate control of dispensing ingredients or products is required. Examples of applications within the food and beverage industry include: adding strawberry flavour to milk; adding sauces to ice cream; adding botanicals to spirits; or adding colourings or flavourings to food products. And within the water treatment industry, accurate dosing of chemicals is vital for efficient wastewater treatment and for potable water quality. In 34

all these examples, it’s essential that the ingredients or products being added are dispensed at a constant, proportionate rate to ensure even mixing and distribution, in order to guarantee a high-quality product and to control costs.

However, many traditional dosing pump designs such as piston pumps, air diaphragm pumps and peristaltic pumps have a pulsating action. This pulsed flow means that once the pump has dispensed a product, there is a pause before it can dispense again. This results in a gap in the process and can cause uneven distribution of ingredients. Furthermore, some of these pump designs require check valves; if solid or viscous particles get caught behind the valves it can cause them to stick, blocking the pump and halting the process.

In contrast, PC pumps are virtually pulsation-free. They use a rotor/stator pumping action which delivers a continuous flow into the product stream, compared to the start/stop action of piston or other positive displacement pumps. In the case of SEEPEX’s PC dosing pumps, this produces a stable flow rate with a linear accuracy of +/-1%.

A sticky situation Another benefit of PC dosing pumps over the alternatives is their ability to handle highly viscous products, sticky materials and those that contain solid particles. Rather than just dispensing simple, free-flowing liquids such as sauces and flavourings, PC pumps can dose sauces containing herbs and spices, ice cream with hard biscuit inclusions, and even abrasive pastes directly onto dough sheets. The action of PC pumps is low-shear and can therefore dose traditionally difficult-to- pump solid, semi-solid or shear-sensitive materials without damaging them, such as: buttermilk, yogurt, ice cream, polymers and flocculants. In fact, a variety of different products of differing viscosity or solidity can be dosed by a single pump, since the flow rate of PC pumps is not affected by pressure or product viscosity. They can also

handle harsh, abrasive chemicals, such as ferric sulphate dosing at wastewater treatment plants or anaerobic digestion facilities.

Just as importantly, due to the constant, pulse-free action of PC pumps, the use of flow control valves and ball valves is not required. This means that they can be used in complex applications, such as dosing into and from chemical tanks.

Chemical particles can settle at the bottom of tanks and block valves, preventing other positive displacement pumps from doing their job, but not so in the case of PC pumps.

Right first time, every time The benefits to manufacturers and processors of using PC pumps for dosing are multiple. By providing an accurate, linear flow they dispense the correct amount of ingredients every time, maintaining product quality. This accuracy also reduces wastage and means that overdosing, often required with pulsating pumps, is not needed, helping to keep down the costs of raw materials. As an automated process, it also saves on labour and forms part of a system that can help to control an inventory.

In addition, dosing pumps provide traceability – essential for today’s manufacturers.

What’s more, as flow valves, ball valves and pulsation dampeners are not required, installation and maintenance costs are reduced compared to alternative solutions. System costs are also lower, as the lack of pulsation reduces the wear on pipework. And as PC pumps can be wall- mounted or installed vertically, horizontally or even upside down, they are suitable for almost any site, including those with a small footprint or an unconventional layout.

They are also highly flexible and can be specified according to customer demand. For example, the SEEPEX D range of PC dosing pumps is not only modular – meaning it can be scaled up or down as required – it can also be specified to handle extremely viscous products; tailored for hygienic or industrial applications; or be made from chemical-compatible materials, PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

depending on the final use.

PROCESS MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION

Pumped up about Industry 4.0 Whatever your reason for specifying a dosing pump, it’s important to keep in mind the impact that Industry 4.0, or the connected factory, is set to have on UK manufacturing in the near future. There’s a general misconception that enhanced connectivity, smart manufacturing and Industry 4:0 are for big operations with ultra-sophisticated data capture strategies but all processes, no matter how simple, can benefit from preparation for future proofing – and this includes when selecting a dosing pump, for example our range of PC dosing pumps that includes a Smart Dosing Pump (SDP).

Users input just one parameter – the proportional flow ratio – and the pump, featuring an integrated PLC monitor, will then make any necessary adjustments automatically. Once set, the flow rate is monitored and controlled entirely by the pump drive, which adapts to variations in operating conditions to ensure accurate, repeatable dosing. In addition, dry running and over-pressure sensors feed back to the drive to protect the pump from damage, helping to increase service intervals and the lifespan of the product.

Despite its enhanced capabilities, the SDP is surprisingly easy to operate, comprising a PC pump with an intelligent inverter drive which is programmed either locally via an HMI or centrally via a fieldbus interface. It can also be controlled via analogue/ digital I/Os, either locally or remotely by a PLC. Ultimately, it provides all the benefits of a PC dosing pump with enhanced control options, future proofing your dosing system as we move towards the fourth industrial revolution.

Can You Get Something For Nothing ?

Successful cider making depends upon accurately dosing ingredients to produce the correct flavour and colour profile for each cider product, from variable raw materials. Heineken in Hereford produces 65% of the cider sold in the UK and after becoming unhappy with their existing diaphragm pumps, they wanted to make improvements to their ingredient dosing process to ensure high product quality. The diaphragm pumps, which dosed acids, sweeteners and colours into their cider, were difficult to maintain and recalibrate due to the pulsating nature of the flow, so Heineken turned to recommended hygienic PC dosing pumps to deliver all the ingredients required – even those with a high viscosity – directly into the product pipeline.

The PC pumps have eliminated the problems caused by sticking ball valves and the high maintenance requirement, and Heineken have found the flow calibration simple and changes to the flow easy to make. Labour costs on maintenance and calibration have been reduced, downtime is lower, and spares costs have also dropped. Dosing control and accuracy have improved so much that Heineken has since replaced all its remaining diaphragm pumps with our hygienic PC pumps.

I would like to start with a personal anecdote on behalf of my late Grandad M who was a firm believer that “In this life, my lad, you can’t get something for nothing !”. He was of course referring to the benefits of hard graft derived from his belief that if something is worth having then it is all the better for having worked hard to achieve it. Having grown up with this ethos and being a true Yorkshireman myself I am not capable of seeing this as anything other than true, however, does the concept still hold within our working-world of gas control ?

Traditional mass flow controllers have a turn-down of 50:1 in that the lowest control point is 1/50th of the full scale range. For a gas control project we might require a total measurement span from, say, 0.1 millilitres per minute through to 800 litres per minute and with traditional MFC’s we would require a total of 5 instruments to cover this span. Alicat MC Series mass flow controllers have a turn-down of 200:1 and with simple maths we can see that we would only require 3 instruments (with full scales of 20 ml/min, 4 litres per minute and 800 litres per minute) to cover the same range span.

Does the cost saving of requiring fewer instruments constitute as “getting something for nothing” ?

Well, I can understand the argument that does not accept this, so let’s add in a number of different gases – Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Argon and Hydrogen. Traditional by-pass MFC’s are either calibrated for the specific gas or require conversion factors between these gases. Unfortunately, our gas control project needs the ultimate in accuracy and the measurement uncertainty introduced by k-factors is just too great (Argon for example can have a conversion factor error as much as 2.8% over and above the standard calibration uncertainty). For traditional MFC’s, each gas would therefore need its own set of instruments; four gases with five instruments to cover the measurement span. Even if just flowing one instrument at a time a total of twenty instruments would be required to cover the whole spectrum.

Alicat on the other hand can have up to 130 gases stored on-board – all certified within the standard calibration accuracy. Just to repeat that, all 130 gases have an equal high accuracy calibration. Flowing just one instrument at a time, same as above, would require only those three instruments previously mentioned to cover the whole spectrum. If we take a nominal value of £1000 per MFC we can see that scenario 1 would cost £20,000 and scenario 2 would only be £3000. Surely this is getting close to having something for nothing ?

Still not convinced ? Let’s add in the need to measure both pressure and temperature per gas. A’ pressure transducer, a temperature transmitter, the fittings required, the cables and installation time/costs could amount to approximately £400, probably more. For the four gases this comes to at least £1,600. An Alicat mass flow controller includes pressure and temperature measurement so there is no additional cost whatsoever. Taking this a stage further - an Alicat can, with the push of a couple of buttons, be re-set to control the pressure whilst measuring the flow. Yet another saving by eliminating If one last fact might help to prove the point then don’t forget that Alicat instruments can be used in stand-alone mode; either by using the front screen push-buttons or by adding an integrated potentiometer. There is therefore no need for an additional Power Supply Readout and Control Unit (or a lap-top) and cabling as required by traditional MFC’s. Perhaps a further £2,000 saving.

Pulling all of the above together we can see that for our gas control project traditional MFC’s will need at the very minimum an investment of £20,000 for the instruments themselves, £1,600 for pressure and temperature measurement and £2,000 for a readout and control module. A total of £23,600. By using Alicat on the other hand, an investment of £3,000 based on the figures above would achieve the same results.

Surely even my Grandad Thermal Mass Flow Meters/Controllers, Vortex, Ultrasonic M would accept that you really can get something for Gas, Steam and Liquid applications nothing ?

For more information contact Andy Mangell -Sales Director, Premier Control Technologies Ltd, Wymondham, Norfolk.

Tel : 01953 609930 Email: sales@pctflow.com www.sierrainstruments.com - +44 (0)7752 799063 Web : www.pctflow.com Martin Rowe UK sales manager - m_rowe@sierrainstruments.com

FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

35

The sweet taste of success

featured article

WHY NOZZLE SELECTION IS CRITICAL FOR COATING APPLICATIONS Maintaining quality and consistency are among the key requirements in all manufacturing processes, but especially in food manufacturing.

A good example of this is where products require coatings as part of the demands for manufacturers to provide new innovations and variations to ensure they maintain a competitive edge.

There are many types of spray coating applications used in food processing and other industries, although these can be divided into 3 categories. Ivan Zytynski specialist of The Spray Nozzle People, Lewes, East Sussex, considers the key factors.

Aqueous spray coating - The coating is dissolved in a solvent liquid and the solution is sprayed, for example a sugar solution with water as the solvent. The coating is applied as a liquid and the solvent evaporates leaving the dissolved solid coating in place.

Heated liquid - A liquid that is normally solid or very sticky at room temperature is heated so that it becomes liquid and able to be sprayed. After spraying, the liquid cools and solidifies forming a solid coating, for example in the food industry this would be a chocolate or peanut butter spraying.

Bonded coating - The liquid forms a chemical bond with the product surface or changes the chemical composition of the surface forming a coating layer. Each of these types of spray coatings can be delivered in five main ways; Continual spray line – the product is moved under a continuously spraying spray bar on a conveyor or in a spray tunnel.

Periodic spray line – Products move under a spray bar or in a tunnel with the spray bar activating only when needed. This type of processes necessitates either sensors or very evenly spaced products.

Stop start spray line – Products move on a conveyor or in spray tunnel to a spraying point where they are stopped and sprayed for the desired period before being moved on.

Drum / pan coating – Products are placed in rotating drum and sprayed to deliver a coating over time. This is used when large numbers of small products need to be coated, such as sugar coatings on corn flakes. The flakes are tumbled in the drum and presented to the spray in a randomised way multiple times to ensure an even coating.

Fluid bed coating – Granules, pellets, or other small products in large numbers. The solid uncoated items are “fluidised” by the injection of air or liquid so they move and behave in much the same way as a fluid. The spray coating is then injected into this fluidised mass or product to achieve contact.

The Importance of Droplet size Droplet size is a critical factor in many coating applications, usually in three key ways. Adhesion.

A small droplet size will help with adhesion to surface. Smaller droplets have a larger surface area to mass ration and as such will have more chance of sticking to the surface. Larger droplets may also bounce or impact off the surface area.

36

Evaporation - Smaller droplets will evaporate more rapidly. Again this is due to the larger surface area to volume ratio of the smaller droplets. A rapid evaporation of the solvent in aqueous coating systems will allow the desired coating to be deposited more efficiently.

Even distribution - Smaller droplets will help form a more even coating. All sprays will have a variation in droplet sizes but with a smaller average droplet size the chances of increased pockets of dense spray are reduced. Essentially smaller droplets help randomise the spray even more meaning that a more even distribution is likely. Smaller droplets will thus ensure a more even and consistent coating. This is particularly important in drum and fluid bed coating applications that rely on the random movement of target particle being presented to the spray.

Spray distribution - Achieving a consistent, even coating, means getting a consistent and even spray. When considering spray lines on a conveyor system the line of spray produced will need to be consistent along the entire product or batch. The nozzles being used will have a spray angle and simple trigonometry that can be used to calculate the spacing of the nozzles to produce a complete line of spray. However, it’s important to realise that the spray produced by a flat fan nozzle will not be entirely even. The edges of the pattern are a soft edge rather than a hard edge so there tends to be a tapering effect with a lower spray distribution at both ends of the spray.

To compensate for this effect sprays can be overlapped. This means a more even coating will be delivered as the product passes under. It is important to remember that if the overlapping sprays hit their neighbours this may cause droplet agglomeration and may have a negative effect on the consistency of the spray. For this reason it is often advisable to angle each spray nozzle so the patterns do not actually touch.

Another method to compensate for uneven fluid distribution is to over spray a product. If a single nozzle is responsible for coating a product as it passes under it then the spray pattern can be deliberately angled so that it is wider than the target. In this way the product passes under only the middle, and hence more even part of the spray. However, this increases product waste.

In drum coating applications a consistent line of spray is less important. This process relies on the random movement of product into the spray so that it picks up a coating over time. Each individual pellet or tablet will be presented to the spray several times. As wetted products will be in contact with each other they may stick together, so it’s important to prevent any over spraying. The objective is to ensure each pellet or tablet moves through the spray and does not come into contact with other recently wetted pellets before evaporation can occur. Obviously in such a randomised process this is never 100% possible but by suitably spacing the spray nozzles, sticking issues can be minimised.

Coping with variable runs Whilst efforts are made to ensure homogony of product, in reality different batches may have different properties. This batch variability may be deliberate (i.e. differently formulated products) PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

As can be seen from the table, droplet sizes increase dramatically with viscosity and, for a Cp much above 50 there is not really any practical way to compensate for this as any pressure increase will have a knock on effect of increasing flow rate. In most viscous fluid applications other methods of atomisation are required. Air atomisers are a logical choice.

or it may occur due to differing environmental conditions. Regardless of the cause, small variations in product can have big implications for spray coating and will necessitate adjustments to the sprays involved. However, the problem with changing sprays is that the characteristics of a spray are often not independent.

Droplet size, spray shape and flow rate can all be affected by changing the pressure at which the fluid is sprayed. For example, simply lowering the fluid pressure to reduce flow will result in bigger droplets which may affect adhesion, evaporation or distribution (see above).

For coating applications where droplet size is critically important, such as fluid bed and drum coating systems, nozzles with independent air supplies for atomisation and pattern formation, are a must. The variability of batches used in these types of coating system mean small changes in both pattern and droplet size may need to be made to achieve uniform results, although these changes can be almost impossible to make when other variables are also affected.

Air atomisers do, however, have their limits. Internal mix atomisers (where the fluid and air are mixed prior to ejection) will give the smallest droplet sizes and a more even distribution of droplet sizes but they run into problems with high Cp fluids. The larger droplet sizes created inside the mixing chamber cannot escape from the orifice quickly enough so the nozzles will not function well.

Coping with viscous fluids Viscous fluids will tend to form larger droplet sizes. A nozzle spraying water that will form a droplet size of Dw will form a droplet size of Df according to the formula below

Df = DwVf 0.2 V, being the viscosity of the fluid in Cp as water has a Cp of 1 In order to produce smaller droplets and compensate for the bigger droplets caused by high viscosity fluids one can increase the pressure of the fluid. This will reduce the droplet size according to the formula below

D1/D2 = (P1/P2) -0.3 D1 is the droplet size at pressure P1 with D2 being the droplet size at pressure P2 so roughly speaking a ten-fold increase in pressure will result in a halving of droplet size. With hydraulic nozzles, any increase in pressure will also result in an increase in flow rate. Typically flow will be proportional to the square root of the pressure so a 4 fold increase in pressure would produce a 2 fold increase in flow. Using the above formula we can produce this table for some common food sprays.

Droplet size compare to water

Cp

Required Pressure increase to compensate for droplet size

Resulting flow rate increase at this new pressure

Water

1

1

0

0

Milk

3

1.25

100%

41%

Olive Oil

40

2.09

1167%

355%

Single Cream

50

2.19

1363%

382%

Double Cream

120

2.60

2400%

500%

2000

4.57

15830%

1262%

15,000

6.84

60700%

2466%

Honey Corn Syrup

FEBRUARY 2017 - PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

External mix air atomisers are a solution to this problem. The nozzles only mix the air after the fluid has been ejected from the nozzle i.e. the atomisation occurs outside the nozzle. Even with external mix air atomising systems, many fluids will need to be heated to allow them to be sprayed. Viscosity in some liquids is very temperature dependant and even very small changes in fluid temperature can result in large increases in viscosity. For this reason heated jacket nozzles that ensure a consistent temperature right up to the orifice are often deployed.

Conclusions for nozzle selection Air actuated control systems are vital for any kind of spray coating that requires cyclical spraying.

Air atomising nozzles are a good choice for most spray coating systems that require relatively low volumes of spray. Air atomisation allows for fine droplets and low flow rates to be achieved.

Viscous fluids require careful consideration. Hydraulic nozzles are not generally suitable for highly viscous fluids as good atomisation at sensible pressures is difficult. External mix air atomisers are a good solution but, thought needs to be given to how the spray will differ from the water spray shown in the nozzle data sheet. For precision spray coating, such as fluid bed coaters, air atomisers with independent control of atomising and pattern forming air supplies are essential.

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featured article

If you don’t ask the right questions – You don’t get the right answers

by Peter Gagg, CEO, MCP Consulting Group Ltd In your company have you ever taken the time to calculate the cost to the business of equipment failures? Most companies haven’t or, if they have, they do nothing about it.

A good rule of thumb Taking the figure of £1,000 per hour as the total cost of downtime will give you enough incentive to take positive action.

If you calculate the total downtime hours per year for each production line and then multiply by £1,000, the answer will be in six figures.

A recent example from the food industry can demonstrate this point. A food company operating 10 filling lines tracked the downtime due to all causes on each of the fillers for a period of 12 months; the results are shown in figure 1. The total annual lost output equated to 17,000 tons at a £1000 per tonne this equated to £17.0m!

an annualised basis equated to approximately 5,000 hours of extra production output, equivalent to an extra 3,750 tonnes of product at a sales value of £3.75m.

The number of breakdowns decreased over the full year as shown in figure 2; whilst the equipment reliability increased, shown in figure 3.

Figure 2 Breakdown Trend

Figure 1 - Annual Lost Hours Using equipment performance data along with Root Cause Analysis improvements in performance and output can be achieved.

Case Study In the above-mentioned food company a twelve-week improvement project was set up involving maintenance and production staff with support from MCP. Analysis of existing maintenance data was followed by Root Cause Analysis (RCA) techniques to determine the causes of downtime and the root failure causes.

A deep dive analysis which identified the lines with the biggest losses – lines 1 and 2 – action was then taken to understand the reasons for the high losses on these two fillers and to identify any common issues across all the ten fillers. Further analysis of the remaining fillers followed.

The result was a 25% reduction in downtime hours, which on 38

Figure 3 Reliability Trend

What is Root Cause Analysis (RCA)?

Before its current form as a widely used problem solving method throughout all industries, RCA’s first appearance was in the field of engineering. The method is credited to the founder of Toyota Industries Co., Ltd., Sakichi Toyoda.

It is a process, which uses a variety of techniques to rapidly identify the true cause of any failure.

Root Cause Analysis in brief RCA is typically used as a reactive method of identifying event(s) causes, revealing problems and solving them. The analysis is done after an event has occurred. Insights in RCA make it potentially useful as a pre-emptive method.

RCA is applied methodically to identify and correct the root causes of events, rather than to simply address the symptomatic result. Focusing correction on root causes has the goal of entirely preventing problem recurrence. Conversely, RCFA (Root Cause Failure Analysis) recognises that complete prevention of recurrence by one corrective action is not always possible.

Root cause analysis helps identify: •What happened •How it happened, and •Why it happened RCA should not be mistaken for Fault Diagnosis, which is the first level of investigation; for example, the line has stopped operating – the first step is to diagnose what has caused the line to stop; is it the motor, the gearbox, the power supply, a sensor, etc.

The next step is to use RCA to determine what has caused the failure. The two stages are not necessarily activated consecutively. The priority has to be to get the line going again.

The tools available to complete an RCA include Pareto Analysis, 5Ys, Fishbone Diagrams; Fault Tree Analysis; REM. RCA can also be used to analyse historical failures that are either one-time occurrences or frequently occurring. Quite often frequent failures are not noticed for a variety of reasons such as: •People on different shifts have to deal with the same failures but there is no process for reporting them •People accept failures as part of the job •There is no process for the analysis of the work records in the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) or the data is collected in such a way that does not allow for easy analysis and reporting.

The solutions to the above issues are: •Establish a common process for reporting all failures including failure, cause and action codes •Establish a Failure Reporting and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) •Specify and make available the right management information required from your CMMS to identify both one-off and repetitive failures •Use the CMMS to identify the top ten faults •Put in place preventative actions to eliminate the failure occurring in the future.

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER - FEBRUARY 2017

SHA PA N

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Solids Handling & Processing Supplement February 2018

Live & Learn

By Ian Birkinshaw, General Secretary – Solids Handling& Processing Association

Once you stop learning you start dying is a quote from Albert Einstein – this sentiment is more relevant today than it has ever been with the advancements in technology moving at a pace never seen before in our history, the need to keep learning is essential.

The last century saw the development the motor car, aviation and the world wide web to name but a few. This century the pace of change is increasing rapidly and the need to keep up with this ever-changing technology is vital whether working in business or communicating with your children and grandchildren. From its very beginning in 1981 the Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA ) has existed to produce and disseminate high quality relevant technical, commercial, legal and marketing intelligence in a lively and engaging manner.

A little look at last year’s programme of events demonstrates this ambition of living and learning.

Earlier in the year the 9th Annual SHAPA Digital Marketing Workshop was presented in association with Susan Hallam a internationally acknowledged expert in this everchanging environment, who has just been awarded and MBE in the new year’s honours list. It’s hard to believe that this event is coming up to its 10th anniversary, but such is the pace of change and rate of uptake of all things digital, that it is vital to keep ahead.

Subjects last year included Content Marketing enabling more traffic to be directed to your own website, Google AdWords advertising was reviewed with fresh ideas, as well as selling in LinkedIn and using Twitter to promote your business. We are currently finalising the planning the 10th Anniversary event, which will be held on the 16th May 2018, This annual workshop is for anybody wishing to promote their company by means of digital marketing in an entertaining, hands-on and extremely useful session.

On quite a different tack the association held an ATEX and DSEAR seminar in March. This is a constantly relevant topic, with many engineers encountering the ramifications of this legislation for the first time. The seminar tackled the main subject areas including how to build a technical file, legislation, categorisation with zoning, venting, suppression and ignition temperatures – the seminar had speakers from notified bodies and process safety specialists along with practical examples of how to manage the risk of handling and storing potentially explosive powders. The seminar was a great success with those attending feeling that they had moved forward in their knowledge of Atex and DSEAR and how to apply the legislation to real life projects. A further Atex course is planned for 2019 to help those entering the world of Atex and DSEAR. Not every company principal is a financial whiz-kid, many of the owners who start and run companies in the solids handling industry are likely to be engineers and innovators. But, along with the fun part of bringing new products and innovations to the market place comes the vital need to keep finances in order. Profit and loss

accounts, appeasing the taxman, even avoiding prosecution are all beneficial occupations to preserve one’s peace of mind. Clearly it is also important to monitor the financial health of the company as well. In November last year SHAPA presented a Financial and Commercial Awareness Workshop, the second such event at the request of the members. Specifically aimed at those managers for whom finance was not their primary skill, the seminar set out to de-mystify the processes and jargon of financial accounting. One session concentrated on analysing financial information, describing such terms as “ratio trends” and how to apply “ratio analysis”.

Delegates gained a better understanding of their own financial objectives and learned how to assess the financial implications of their day-to-day decisions.

Total cost of ownership is an old chestnut, but a very important consideration for all SHAPA members and their clients. It is well known that the capital cost of plant is only part of the overall purchase cost and all wise engineering purchasers will probe operating costs, planned maintenance and repair costs, set against the costs of unplanned downtime. Total life span and depreciation are obviously part of the mix too. All of this has being addressed by the SHAPA Technical Committee and a new paper has been produced to give assistance to suppliers and purchasers in navigating the process to ensure that the installed plant operates in line with the overall expectations. Information on this paper has uploaded to the SHAPA website.

Engineering the Future

The need for shrewd, skilled and highly motivated people for our industry has never been greater. SHAPA recognise this ongoing demand and actively encourage up and coming engineers and managers to become the movers and shakers of the future.

Regular seminars encompassing education, networking as well as some entertainment feature in the Association’s calendar. The body of knowledge held by SHAPA via committed member companies is huge and growing day by day. We all recognise the need to “stick together” and this is well illustrated by member companies who are suppliers to and customers of each other. Not only that, they frequently find themselves as complementary colleagues working side by side on large projects. It is obvious that Inter-member networking is clearly beneficial to all. As we all know Engineers are in short supply at the present time and attracting the future talent into engineering is becoming more vital for UK PLC. SHAPA are pleased to be helping in this area with the Sponsorship of a Student

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in conjunction with the Arkwright Scholarship trust. Through the sponsorship SHAPA will help, mentor and guide the student into the fascinating world of Engineering. For more information on progress of our student visit Georgina’s Blog on the SHAPA Website at www. shapa.co.uk/Geogina’s-Blog. SHAPA have also adding the Solids Handling Industry Young Person Award to the list of categories for this year’s Solids Handling Industry Awards to recognise the contribution young people are making to the solids handling sector.

2018 Solids Handling Industry Awards

Following the success of the previous awards highlighting the successes in the solids handling industry community, SHAPA has launched the 2018 Solids Handling Industry awards, these awards are open to all UK registered member and non-member companies and institutions operating in the Solids Handling and Processing Industry. Application forms are available direct from the SHAPA website at Shapa-Awards-Application-Form and winners will be announced and presented at the awards ceremony on the SS Great Britain in Bristol on the evening of 17th April 2018. This year the Solids Handling Industry awards fall into four categories with a closing date for applications on the 28/02/2017. The award categories are Export Award, The Innovation Award, Young Person of the Year, Company of the year Award.

Collective expertise

Clearly no single person or even company can be expert at everything, but for the manufacture and use of solids handling equipment a vast range of expertise is needed. SHAPA offers valuable resources to enable all members to widen their knowledge and experience.

Within any major processing enterprise, the supplier of most elements of the flow process system will be both a supplier and a receiver – or “customer” and each supplier will need to know the characteristics of the material delivered to their part of the equipment. Similarly, they will need to pass on appropriate data about the discharge of their product to the next part of the plant.

Such communication is essential to ensure a successful project, this is where the members of SHAPA through a common understanding come together to work on projects where their individual expertise is collectively combined to ensure successful projects are delivered into industry.

Commitment to the future

SHAPA may well have celebrated nearly 40 years’ valuable service to our industry, but it is not resting on its laurels and is looking to the future and how best to develop the solids handling community going forward whether its training, networking, celebrating success or wishing to influence government on vital subjects including international trade. Therefore, any company involved in the supply of solids handling equipment and services should consider Joining SHAPA, today’s membership stands at well over 100 companies, who have already tapped into the benefits of membership. Vitally, however, companies and consultants and suppliers involved with new solids handling projects or in the process of updating existing process plant should first consult the Product Finder and technical papers on our website – just a click or two away at www.shapa. co.uk, or email to info@shapa.co.uk.

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Why do bulk solids handling problems occur?

By Richard Farnish – Principal Research Fellow Department of Mechanical & Design Engineering of University of Greenwich

For many plants it is almost a given that when new ingredients or sources of material are introduced into the process that problems will develop with respect to the handling and storage of these materials.

Some of the reason for these problems stems from a failure to fully appreciate the importance of investing into the design or procurement of good quality bulk solids handling equipment.

For many engineers the topic of bulk solids handling is one that is hard to identify with – since it embodies a very wide range of applied technical areas into a single ‘subject area’. A cursory examination of the ‘state of the art’ for bulk solids handling equipment quickly reveals that many types are very similar in design and operating capability – which also adds complication for engineers (that are not well versed in the topic) when evaluating tender documents.

A failure to appreciate the need for an appropriate scale of budget leads to a more tightly controlled CAPEX. This fact combined with a range of tender documents that will likely offer a range of different engineered solutions for a single plant requirement often leads to the successful tender being characterised more by compliance with (or being below) the budget limit than by technical excellence – especially since all submissions will carry process guarantees.

One of the reasons why such variations in engineering proposals can be generated is sometimes due to vaguely written specifications that lack sufficient technical rigour upon which to base a fully informed design. A balance should be made between allowing sufficient latitude for suppliers to implement their specialist knowledge with the specification framework and ensuring the inclusion of key technical points to steer their collective responses in a concerted way. This may sound like common sense for the initiation of a tendering process for any industry – but it is all the more critical for the process industries that work with powder or granular materials. The storage and handling characteristics of bulk materials make them very sensitive to the finer points equipment or system designs – which is one reason why so many plants experience problems.

An example of the dilemma that can develop relates to the seemingly simple task of procuring a storage silo. Often the main guidance in the specification will focus upon spatial constraints and vessel volume requirements. Reference to the materials to be handled is likely to range from virtually

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absent (i.e. just its name) to uninformative from a design perspective (angle of repose, tapped bulk density, median particle size). Consideration as to how the material is likely to behave when passed through the equipment is usually limited to “….discharge reliably…” – again, not very helpful in a practical sense if it transpires that the material is time dependant (requiring first in – first out flow), segregable (needing designed counter measures and mass flow in many cases) or the process requires a consistent and repeatable flow of material from the storage vessel.

Too often the implications of not realising these design/ operational requirements are not fully considered at the project planning stage. A failure to request these types of operational conditions often leads to ambiguity in the written requirements – the most fundamental of which is whether core flow or mass flow is a process requirement.

Whether a supplier will seek clarification of what is actually needed is unlikely if the specification is interpreted as being a definitive document. In such instances a failure to make clear reference to how the process is intended to work (or how the equipment is intended to integrate with existing plant) can be taken as an indication that no special considerations for design exist. This, in effect, can give suppliers a relatively free hand to fall back on previous experience and standard equipment ranges to compose their response. Thus a common specification can generate quite diverse options between suppliers.

Conclusion It makes commercial sense to avoid unnecessary expenditure, however this should always be balanced against the long term risk of operational problems if the selected equipment is not technically sound for the duty asked of it. Although good reference works relating to bulk solids handling are by no means prolific – there are some very useful courses out there that can provide a good foundation in the subject and could serve to help avoid some costly mistakes.

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Sieving system for AM powders New Balance adopts revolutionary vibratory sieve with ultrasonic screening technology in production of new 3D-printed trainer New Balance is one of the world’s largest athletic shoe manufacturers. The company aims to bypass conventional industry practices and provides state-of- the-art products to professional athletes and everyday consumers. One of New Balance’s latest innovations is the addition of an additive manufacturing laboratory; boasting the production of the world’s first laser-printed shoe. The ‘Zante Generate’ is the world’s first running shoe with a 3D-printed midsole.

Composed of Duraform® TPU Elastomer, the revolutionary sneaker is made using a laser sintering process.

A dual-purpose laboratory used for new product development and research, the 3D printing facility processes a variety of additive polymers. Initially, New Balance’s laboratory began by processing small-batch work. However, looking to up-scale to larger levels of production, New Balance turned to Russell Finex for a solution. A Russell Compact Sieve® with Vibrasonic® Deblinding System was the answer. This combination not only fulfils the need to increase throughput, but also ensures the mpurity of processed powders.

Daniel Dempsey, New Balance Senior Additive Manufacturing Engineer, was delighted with the solution - “To sieve 20kg of material using our previous equipment would take approximately eight hours. With the Russell Finex sieve, we can do the same amount in roughly ten minutes.”

Now an integral part of New Balance’s 3D additive manufacturing lab, the Russell Compact Sieve® with Vibrasonic® Deblinding System is relied upon every day. For New Balance, using this industrial screener is critical to aerate powders before the material is loaded to

a laser sintering machine. Aerating powder increases the flowability of the material, which is required for stable processing of prints running over 24 hours in duration.

Aside from increasing flowability, this screener with ultrasonic sieving system has also been credited for freeing time for the additive manufacturing lab’s engineering team as it screens powders much faster than traditional all-day monitored sieves. The addition of the Russell Finex vibratory screener for AM powders has also allowed New Balance to experiment with powder and complete custom batch work in a much quicker fashion.

Dempsey continued, “I’ve never had to do a single thing with this machine other than use and clean it. It’s fantastic.

The system allows us to speed up the sieving process, and we’ve drastically increased our ability to iterate or prototype within the company due to prototyping the article directly and skipping a couple of rounds of injection moulding before commercialization. If you thinkabout how that affects things like time to market or the product quality, the more iteration you can do the better product you’re going to end up with.”

Established in 1934, Russell Finex has over 80 years of experience in working with manufacturing powders.

The company, having worked within the 3D printing sector since its beginnings, has built relationships with key equipment manufacturers and end-users, to ensure its separation equipment meets the current and future needs of 3D printing technology.

For more information contact Russell Finex Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8818 2000 E-mail: enquiriesrfl@russellfinex.com Web: www.russellfinex.com

THE

PRESSURE IS ON! High Pressure Rotary Valve The DMN-WESTINGHOUSE HP valve with specially designed inlet is very suitable for handling granular formed products under a high pressure of maximum 3.5 bar g.

The valve has a very important advantage in air leakage: the special configuration of body, rotor and seals does not only protect product against degradation, it also does not allow any axial air leakage.

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE T +44 1249 818 400 | dmn@dmnuk.com

FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

max 3.5 bar g

Features: • Special inlet for maximum protection against product degradation • High filling efficiency • Lowest air leakage through special seals • Robust construction • Easy assembly and disassembly

www.dmnwestinghouse.uk

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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Brand protection:

Ramping up your food safety strategy Consumer perceptions and a high profile product recall can make or break a food brand.

The damage, if left unchecked, can come back and haunt a company for years to come.

Phil Brown, Managing Director at Fortress Technology outlines why paying attention to metal contaminant risks continues to be the mainstay of a robust brand protection programme and why it doesn’t pay to take a maverick approach to product inspections.

“Consumers today are more aware than ever about where their food has come from and how it’s being handled right across the supply chain,” emphasises Phil. “ As a result of new legislation, domestic and foreign food exporters are under greater pressure to adhere to increasingly stringent levels of compliance and third party audits, whilst also having to contend with an everchanging inspection market.”

Counting the cost of a recall Any contamination is a food safety issue that can have an incendiary effect on a food company’s reputation. With today’s social media culture and 24-hour news reporting, a single contamination incident can make national headlines almost instantly. The reputational and financial consequences can be devastating. Research conducted by the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in their 2016 Brand Protection and Product Traceability market research report puts the average cost of a recall for a food company at $10 milion or more in direct costs, business interruption, brand damage and lost sales.

Calculating the true cost of a food recall is challenging, as no incident is the same as the next, notes Phil. “Manufacturers need to consider the scale of the recall, how many customers their potentially contaminated product has reached, the stage in which the item is recalled, any fines or penalties incurred, and the drain on resources and business interruption at the production plant,” he comments.

Of all the potential contaminants, metal is still the most likely risk in a food processing and packing plant. In the raw ingredient phase, food is exposed to different processes -from cutting meat, filleting fish, grinding spice or mixing dry and wet baking ingredients. Later down the line, you may be packing and cutting larger quantities into more convenient single service portions, creating ready meals using multiple ingredients or preparing ready-cut vegetables -again introducing a possible metal contaminant into the food supply chain.

Choose your checkpoint carefully Supply chain transparency and the speed in which you can publicly pinpoint the source of a metal contaminant are

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imperative and can minimise the damage to brand reputation.

HACCP guidance states that critical control points (CCPs) should be located at any step where hazards can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels.

Food manufacturers will typically take a cautious approach, inserting more than one metal detector between the beginning and end of the production and packing process. These checkpoints should correspond to the identified CCPs, depending on the predominant risks.

When assessing the risks, cost of the product at each checkpoint needs to be factored in. If, for example, you pushed your inspection solely the end of the line, any contamination will be caught at the most expensive part of the production process. Catching a metal contaminant in the raw ingredient stage may cost several hundred pounds as opposed to tens of thousands if you have to recall or waste an entire batch of processed and packaged product,” explains Phil.

Meeting evolving track and trace standards Changes to food safety are being driven by US legislation, and the continuing globalisation of the food chain means harmonisation of food safety standards will be inevitable.

From January 2017, food companies have been subject to more frequent audits, with both Safe Quality Food (SQF) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)completing annual audits to the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) standards. Food safety guidelines issued by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) are also largely converging towards FSMA. The compliance deadline dates vary and are staggered based upon the size of a food business. The rules also impact animal feed and for the first time the growing, harvesting, packaging and storage of produce by US and foreign farms.

Notably, the new FSMA law impacts the longstanding Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, which have been superseded by Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based PreventiveControls (HARPC).

“The biggest difference in the HARPC standards is that they

extend beyond Critical Control Points. Now, food processors are mandated to document all potential product risks, including naturally occurring hazards and anything that might intentionally or unintentionally get introduced to their facility,” notes Phil. “It also means greater transparency across the entire supply chain.”

Again, FSMA legislation is driving the adoption of track-and-trace technologies in the food and beverage sectors. Phil explains: “To facilitate this traceability, a Fortress metal detector system offers secure, automatic logging of information to show that the metal detector is operational and working correctly. This all helps to narrow the time frame during which a problem can go undetected and reducing the amount of suspect products that must be discarded or recalled in case of an incident.”

When choosing your inspection technology, in some applications it’s obvious which system to opt for, since only one of them can reliably detect the contaminants that pose the risk you’re trying to mitigate. Yet, recent advances in metal detection technology mean that systems are now even more sensitive to metal contaminants, as well as being more user friendly, another requisite of the FSMA guidance.

Summing up, Phil cautions against short-term thrift when measuring food safety risks and protecting brand equity. “It’s important when investing in inspection equipment to look beyond the upfront costs and consider the Overall Equipment Effectiveness and Total Cost of Ownership and factor in the feasibility of upgrading legacy systems. Always try to base your inspection machine decision on the most prevalent food safety risks, and be sure that any technical advantage will actually add value.”

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

VORTEX GLOBAL LTD. OBTAINS ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFICATION As of December 2017, Vortex Global Limited has been certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard.

Vortex Global’s parent company, Salina Vortex Corporation, made a recent announcement that it too had obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification. Previously, Vortex Global was certified under the ISO 9001:2008 standard, and has been ISO-certified since its establishment in 2007.

ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for a management system.

By gaining ISO 9001:2015 certification, ISO 9001 acknowledges that Vortex Global has demonstrated the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. In essence, the ISO 9001 standard acknowledges Vortex Global’s credibility as a reliable and consistent supplier of material handling equipment and technical services to the dry bulk solids industry.

Among the major changes of ISO 9001:2015 versus ISO 9001:2008 was a transition of emphasis from “preventative actions” “and “required documentation” toward more open communication with customers and suppliers, and greater information transparency within the organisation and its shareholders.

To ensure the continuous improvement of its quality management system, Vortex Global has been utilising turtle diagrams to assess the effectiveness of their Enquiry, Stock Control, and Works Order processes. These diagrams are revised annually to better Vortex Global’s processes and, ultimately, improve customer satisfaction from more efficient operations.

To improve internal transparency, Vortex Global’s top management created a document to assess both short-term and long-term opportunities and risks for the company’s operations, and developed strategies for how those opportunities and risks will be approached to improve the business. Created in unison with Vortex Headquarters in Salina, Kansas, USA, Vortex Global’s top management also assisted in the development of a long-term business plan to provide Vortex employees and stakeholders with a clear understanding of the company’s goals and strategic objectives for the future.

Vortex Global has demonstrated that within their small staff, cross-training efforts have been effective, job roles have been well-defined, and project information and product knowledge is recorded in a way that it is transferrable among the entire staff. As a result, Vortex Global has constructed an efficient and high quality management programme.

“Maintaining ISO compliance is a leading objective for Vortex Global, as it ensures the quality of our management system and allows us to continue our relationships with Blue Chip companies,” said Laurence Millington, managing director at Vortex Global Limited. “By clearly defining, monitoring and measuring our company objectives – and emphasising the importance of meeting those objectives – Vortex Global Limited has seen rapid growth since its conception ten years ago and continues to be well-respected among the industries in which we operate.”

To download Vortex Global’s ISO 9001:2015 certificate, see https://goo.gl/8q3SnR For more information contact Vortex Global Ltd. Darlington, County Durham.

Tel: +44 (0) 1325 728 577 Email: global@vortexglobal.com Web:: www.vortexglobal.com

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Pneumatic Conveying Performance Dynamic Air offers 16 different pneumatic conveying concepts: Each system has its own unique set of operating characteristics for pressure, conveying line velocity, efficiency and performance. Because each and every material to be conveyed reacts differently under a given set of operating conditions, it is critical to match the system operating characteristics to the material to be conveyed in order to achieve the most desired conveying performance and to provide the best value.

Dynamic Air’s 16 different pneumatic conveying concepts have the ability to convey at almost any conveying velocity desired to suit a given material to be conveyed. We can convey many materials with conveying velocities as low as .25 m/sec. using our HDP 6000 dense phase pneumatic conveying system and, using our LDP 2000 dilute phase pneumatic conveying system, we can convey at velocities well over 35m/sec. Plus our conveying capacities range from just 100 kg of material per hour up to 400 tons per hour and conveying distances exceeding 1500 m in length.

For more information contact Dynamic Air Ltd, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK. Phone: 44 1908 622344 E-mail: sales@dynamicair.co.uk | Web: www.dynamicair.com

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John R Boone Mixers Keep Agrochemical Blends Moving Leading British mixer and blender manufacturer John R Boone have supplied Exwold Technology in Teesside with three 4000 litre capacity low-shear mixers as part of a new installation that has expanded Exwold’s agrochemical production facility. Exwold selected John R Boone Horizontal Helical Blade Mixers (HHBM) for their reliability, value for money, quality and ease of cleaning.

Exwold is a contract manufacturer of agricultural and speciality chemicals with four sites in the North East employing more than a hundred people. They pride themselves on flexible and fast moving R&D with a speciality in water-dispersible granules (WDG).

A material that is to be converted to granules is inherently prone to agglomeration, and the challenge that Exwold MD Kevin Martin presented was to supply mixers that keep the material fluid, well separated and clog-free while it progresses through the process. Exwold considered several possible manufacturers, choosing John R Boone after tests showed that the very low speed ribbon agitators of the HHBM would maintain mix fluidity while putting very little work into the material. In this case the HHBM has a U shaped body and four helical blades that sweep the entire length of the mixer providing a very gentle yet thorough, end-to- end mixing action with very low product retention.

A pre-mix with approximately 3mm particle size is loaded into the first of the three John R Boone HHBM, which then feeds a reverse jet mill that reduces the particle size to micron dimensions. From there the powder is sent to two further John R Boone HHBM before going on to the extrusion press to be formed into granules. At all stages, it is critical that the mix is kept mobile, and presented to the discharge point consistently and completely.

Exwold manufacture in campaigns that last several weeks and cleanliness between batches is vital. As Kevin Martin put it, “the Boone mixers offer easy access for inspection, easy access for cleaning and maintenance along with good quality and performance”. The low contact area design of the mixer body and minimum number of blades make cleaning simpler and quicker, and John R Boone also installed CIP equipment within each mixer to further reduce cleaning time.

The new plant is now in full operation, producing granular products.

For more information contact JR Boone Limited, Congleton, Cheshire Tel: +44 (0)1260 272894 | E-mail:sales@jrboone.com | Web: www.jrboone.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

Solutions that meet every process step Coperion is the international market and technology leader in compounding and extrusion systems, feeding and weighing technology, bulk materials handling systems and services for the plastics, chemicals, food and pharma industries. Especially for the food industry we offer EHEDG approved design for food system components, rotary valves and diverter valves.

As an integrated technology provider, Coperion and Coperion K-Tron use the comprehensive system and process expertise to implement individual solutions for compounding technology and bulk materials handling for our customers. This covers the full added value chain of the production process from consultation and planning, through engineering, process optimization, manufacturing, delivery, installation and commissioning to our worldwide service network.

We collaborate with our customers on innovative new and further development of components, machines and systems, forming the basis for long-lasting, successful partnerships in which customer benefit is always to the fore together with efficiency, reliability and quality.

For more information contact: Coperion Ltd. / Coperion K-Tron Great Britain Ltd Stockport, Cheshire.

Tel.: +44 161 209 4810 Fax: +44 161 474 0292 Email: info@coperion.com | Web: www.coperion.com

FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

New Project Engineer joins British Rema Powder processing specialist British Rema has further strengthened its engineering team with the appointment of Miro Kardasz as Project Engineer.

Miro’s appointment supports continued growth in British Rema’s Equipment division, including its recent success in securing a major contract for a turnkey aluminium hydroxide grinding and classification plant to Alum SA, Romania. Miro will also focus on capacity expansion projects within British Rema’s Contract Processing division.

Miro was awarded an MEng in Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Szczecin, Poland in 2004. His appointment at British Rema follows 10 years as Project Engineer at UK-based Metalysis, where he was responsible for managing a variety of projects, primarily in the design and development of equipment for processing metallic and oxide powders. Prior to this he worked in engineering roles for Simatra France Group in Poland.

British Rema specialises in the milling, micronising, classification and blending of powders and is a leading supplier of powder processing equipment and contract processing services to the Aerospace, Chemical, Food, Plastics, Metal Powders, Mineral and Pharmaceutical industries.

For more information contact British Rema, Tel: +44 (0)1246 269955 Email: sales@britishrema.com Web: www.britishrema.com

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

British Rema attains ISO 9001:2015 accreditation Powder processing specialist British Rema has recently received accreditation for ISO 9001:2015, the newest update to the internationally-recognised Quality Management System Standard. Previously the company was certified under the ISO 9001:2008 standard and has been ISOcertified since 2001 when the standard was introduced.

Accreditation to the ISO 9001:2015 standard is recognition that British Rema consistently provides products and services which meet customer and regulatory requirements; giving customers additional confidence when entering into commercial agreements with the company.

Commenting on achieving ISO 9001:2015 accreditation, Simon Abbott, General Manager, said, “ISO 9001 is an important and internationally-accepted benchmark that further supports our continuing commitment to providing customers with an unrivalled, world-class service.

This certification also reflects our commitment to quality and full traceability which is essential when handling high value applicationcritical materials on behalf of global suppliers to highly-regulated industries such as aerospace and nuclear reprocessing.

The latest version of the quality management standard is the most recent in a series of quality and continuous improvement initiatives that British Rema has put in place to maintain its position as a leading supplier in the field of powder processing.”

For more information contact British Rema, Tel: +44 (0)1246 269955 Email: sales@britishrema.com | Web: www.britishrema.com

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Safe Drum Handling in a Material World When speciality fabric manufacturer Vlisco approached Hosokawa Micron Ltd seeking a contained drum handling solution to provide a physical barrier between the operator and product to protect their workforce from contact with airborne, fabric dye particles, they were explicit in the challenges that needed to be met.

These including the safe handling of drums of various sizes and the de-lidding, opening and emptying of drums into a reactor vessel within a contained environment.

Hosokawa Micron engineers responded with a bespoke designed drum tipping glovebox, built around the dye reactor vessel, that met all the customer’s requirements including an Operator Exposure Level of <5 µg/m³ to protect operators potentially harmful dusts.

Drums and kegs of different sizes and weights are presented to the glovebox on a roller track and manually moved into the glovebox before being connected to the drum tipper. Drums are de-lidded and bags opened before special container clamps suitable for handling a range of weights/sizes attach the drums to the lifting/tipping device. The drums are then automatically lifted, rotated and dropped onto the reactor where they are located into position to secure and reduce dust creation on discharge. The system is operated under a nitrogen blanket to minimise dust explosion risk and is engineered for ATEX compliance with drum lifting and rotation operated by intrinsically safe air motors.

As the reactor vessel contains hydrochloric acid, special coatings are applied to the glovebox chamber and plastic parts were used to make up the filter and extraction systems utilising plastic fans, pipework and plastic coated valves and filters.

As an original and heritage textile design company, Vlisco welcomed Hosokawa’s bespoke approach to providing a purpose designed containment solution that reduced both manual handling of drums and operator risk.

Michiel Soolsma, Process & Quality Engineer, Vlisco says, ‘From the first contact, Hosokawa made a great impression by understanding our problems and coming up with possible solutions. Although we needed more time before starting the project, Hosokawa showed patience and assisted us when asked.

From the start to the end of the project Hosokawa showed their experience and engineered a glovebox that is operator friendly and could be integrated in our new installation.

I personally enjoyed working together with their engineers on this project with Hosokawa.’

For over 170 years, Vlisco has created more than 350,000 original textile designs. Many of these designs have become cultural treasures, bestowed with special names and meanings by the merchants of Central and West Africa.

For further information/reader enquiries, please contact: Hosokawa Micron Ltd, Rivington Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, Tel: +44 (0) 1928 755100 Email: info@hmluk.hosokawa.com or Web: www.hosokawa.co.uk

On the level, every mm counts Every engineer wants the best accuracy level sensor they can get, but this specification often comes at an extra premium.

Not today. The VEGAPULS 64 80 GHz contactless radar level transmitter now has increased its accuracy down to 1mm as standard, at no extra cost.

This means, whether in storage or processing, you will get the best repeatability and accuracy of measurement on ranges up to 30m. Combine this with the sensors proven focusing, its ability to deal with build up, how it can operate even on the smallest of mounting connections, or that it even works through valves and down long nozzles - this all results in a great level solution for your process. Don’t take our word for it, ask the tens of thousands of users already utilising this 80 GHz technology.

For more information contact VEGA Controls Ltd, Burgess Hill, West Sussex.

Tel: (+ 44) 01444 870055 E-mail: info@vega.com Web: www.vega.com/uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

Airborne Dust is a Risk to your Business - Are You Really Willing to Take It? Why is it a risk?

Inspections are being targeted at industries processing dusty materials. There is a real health and safety driver behind this. PM 10 particles and smaller find their way deep into lungs where they gradually cause long term damage. The result is the development of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Whilst smoking is often a contributory cause, inhalation of workplace dust is another significant one.

How is it a risk to my business?

Contracting COPD does not happen overnight; it is a gradual process. Symptoms can take more than a decade to develop. It is similar in this respect to Asbestosis. This means that future claims will look at the employment history of a COPD sufferer and work their way back through employers. Those employers whose work environment is found wanting can expect the full force of the law to hit them at sometime in the future. To see how this might work, a quick online search reveals how lawyers are trawling back through company records for asbestosis sufferers to find companies, their directors and group owners. The risk you are taking is of a future “knock on the door” to discuss a claim. Some companies were wiped out by asbestos claims. By ignoring airborne dust you risk your company’s future should claims be made against you. You also have a duty of care to operate a safe working environment.

How can I resolve this?

Put simply, take immediate steps to reduce and eliminate the risk. Localised dust collection can address the sources, but in many processes, dust becomes airborne due to vehicle movements, tippers, open process areas and similar.

Dust Control in EfW Wood Preparation An effective way to solve dust problems in these areas is to use a fogging system to suppress the dust. The Renby MicronFog™ system has been designed to achieve just this. Nozzles can be placed around a dust source e.g. a reception hopper, and provide a curtain of fog that contains the dust.

Other approaches are to fit a roof mounted system to provide general suppression. Renby designs it’s MicronFog™ systems to avoid wetting and systems are in use on dry powder bagging and onion packing lines. Both of these applications cannot risk any wetting of the product. We are happy to discuss your application and in many cases find that we have already done a similar installation.

Act Now. Don’t wait for an improvement notice.

Contact Renby Ltd now on Tel: 01829 740913 Email: fog@renby.co.uk | Web: www.micronfog.com

Why do bulk solids handling problems occur?

The problem: - Arching of materials in silo?

- Caking of materials in storage?

- Irregular discharging of materials into packaging?

- Materials getting stuck in the silo?

The reason?

- Incorrect equipment dimension design; - Material behaviour has not been assessed; - Lack of or Incorrect use of discharge aids; - Incorrect interfacing; - …and so on…

Want to learn more?

Short Courses on Storage of Bulk Materials - Storage and Discharge of Powders and Bulk Solids 13 – 15 March A comprehensive introduction providing a basic understanding of the operation of hoppers and silos - Design of Equipment for Storing and Handling Bulk Materials 17 – 18 April Targeting project engineers involved in the detail specification of bulk handling schemes or design engineers involved in the construction of equipment used for storing bulk materials For more information contact: The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology; Tel: +20 8331 8646 | E-mail: wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk | Web: www.bulksolids.com

Rotary Valves – Air Leakage and Performance Check out our training video at www.rotaval.co.uk/videos and do get in touch for any advice.

All rotary valves leak air (or gas) even where there is no pressure differential as even the product entering the valve displaces air into the inlet area.

This is significantly increased when operating under a pressure differential due to losses past the operational clearances and carry-over of pockets of high pressure decompressing into the inlet. The total of such losses are normally referred to as ‘leakage’ and given a single quantity value.

There are many factors that affect the rate of leakage and the ratio of the elements that make up the total. All are affected by the system conditions prevailing at any given time.

In practical terms most manufacturers only offer leakage charts based on tests measuring leakage past valves in a static, product-free condition. Because the presence of product has a mitigating effect on leakage, known as the ‘Blocking Factor’, the manufacturer’s published rates are seen as having adequate contingency for providing allowances for sizing blowers, fans etc. Where leakage rates are considered critical then better analysis will be necessary, taking into all aspects of the duty conditions.

What is important is that upward leakage can have a significant effect on the system performance either positively or negatively especially where the valve is operating in a flooded condition.

The upward flow can reduce throughput by opposing product flow as well as aerating the product and reducing its bulk density. Allowance for this must be made when sizing the Rotary Valve. This is progressively less of a problem as valve sizes increase as the larger throat sizes make for better dispersion of leakage air. Valves should also be fitted direct to the outlet of any hopper so that leakage air can disperse easily. This is less of a problem when the valve is not controlling the throughput but care needs to be taken if the conditions could result in flood feeding at any time.

For more details on air leakage, contact Gericke RotaVal,

Tel:+ 44 1249 651138 E-mail: sales@rotaval.co.uk Web: www.rotaval.co.uk FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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Silo Stock Measurement Made Simple Load cells fitted to a Barton Silo provide accurate ‘real time’ content measurement

State of the art silo stock measurement systems can be used to provide accurate ‘real time’ monitoring of storage vessel contents and detect potential system faults or raw material clumping problems. Associated telemetry can then be used to automatically e-mail raw material suppliers to replenish silo stocks, or alert on-site teams to pro-actively investigate problems: this ensures a continuous supply of feedstock for a customer’s production process.

Barton Fabrications, the UK’s largest manufacturer of aluminium silos, working together with Applied Weighing International – a complete weighing systems supplier - offers precise silo content management systems for standard industrial and hazardous area environments. The systems are available on both new silo installations and as a retrofit to existing plant complementing both Barton Fabrication’s silos and other manufacturers’ vessels.

The silo stock measurement systems comprise three or four load cells mounted under the silo, which for food applications can be fitted with Barton’s hygienic sealed skirt design to prevent vermin access to the area beneath the silo.

The load cells are connected to Applied Weighing’s Intelligent Junction Box. This unit not only provides a single signal output from up to four load cells, but also monitors load cell or cable faults. In addition, the system will also detect silo ‘out of balance’ loading, which may be caused by raw material bridging / clumping or an obstruction under the silo base. Further investigation and remedial action

Applied Weighing’s telemetry system provides real time silo content data and monitors weighing system faults

can then be taken to avoid erroneous weight readings and potential raw material shortages.

The output from the Intelligent Junction Box (or boxes) is fed using CAN BUS connectivity to the Teleonix2 telemetry system. This enables vessel content / status to be reviewed via the internet (the system can be configured to limit the information viewed).

Additionally, re-order e-mails can be sent automatically to suppliers when pre-determined silo levels are reached. This information is then used to ensure full tanker loads are delivered in a timely manner, providing efficient silo stock control with minimum risk of feedstock shortage.

Barton Fabrications manufactures bespoke aluminium and stainless steel silos with Applied Weighing’s content measurement / management systems for both new and retrofit vessel installations as detailed in this report.

For more details on silo stock measurement solutions, contact Mark Barton at Barton Fabrications: Tel: +44 (0) 1275 845901 E-mail: sales@bartonfabs.co.uk Web: www.bartonfabs.co.uk Or sales at Applied Weighing International Tel :+44 (0) 118 946 1900 E-mail: sales@aw.co.uk Web: www.appliedweighing.co.uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

SAVE THE DATE FOR BULKEX18!

BULKEX18, the Materials Handling Engineers Association’s annual exhibition, conference and awards ceremony has launched for 2018. Taking place at Eastwood Hall, Nottingham on 17-18 October 2018, the twoday event includes a full conference programme for delegates, taking place in the MHEA’s 80th year.

With a pronounced technical emphasis, and focusing on current and imminent industry opportunities, BULKEX18 is a must-attend event for professionals, organisations and academics from across the bulk handling arena. The exhibition is open to both members and non-members and anyone interested in participating can find out more on the BULKEX18 website www.bulkex.co.uk Adopting the successful format from last year’s event, John Connolly, MHEA’s President, said, “BULKEX is the premier event for those in the bulk materials handling sector.

With around 50 spaces for exhibitors to showcase their products and services, and visitors that include industry buyers, suppliers, and specialists, we are tremendously excited about BULKEX18 as we celebrate 80 years supporting members.

“Our conference programme will build on the 2017 programme, and we anticipate an eminent list of guest speakers that will have a broad appeal. We would encourage anyone planning exhibiting to book their space as soon as possible. Equally, those businesses who have innovative case studies or new projects, should seriously consider speaking at BULKEX18. We are announcing our Call for Papers - senior industry thinkers and business leaders are invited to submit papers and case studies to share with delegates.”

Wednesday 17 October will see another celebration of the industry’s finest achievements at Eastwood Hall. 2018 is the Government’s Year of the Engineer and the MHEA is supporting the occasion by launching a new award, Engineer of the Year.

The exhibition’s space-only places are already filling up and there are also a range of sponsorship opportunities available to suit all budgets. Companies wishing to exhibit at the event or to find out more about sponsorship, can contact the BULKEX18 event team on 01787 226995 (ask for Teresa or Julie).

FAIRPORT DELIVERS ON TIME FOR MAJOR SHUT DOWN Having been awarded the contract in earlier in 2017 Fairport Engineering Ltd (FEL) of Adlington, Lancashire has now delivered some 12 drag link conveyors and 5 bucket elevators to a new client in Nigeria. These pieces of equipment and various ancillaries such as actuated valves, chute-work and spares will form the key mechanical units in a challenging project to increase production capacity from 65t/h to some 200t/h. Predominantly these pieces of process equipment will be used to extract wheat from a number of silos and transfer it to the milling area facilities as well as adding a separate, new lorry loading system; all as depicted below.

Fairport, as well as being able to design and supply these specialist machines also has an all-round turnkey capability that allows it to work in an advantageous partnership manner with many clients. On this particular project Fairport has supplied the proprietary electrical and instrumentation equipment for the system. FEL have provided structural steelwork, calculations and detail drawings for local supply.

The client is also providing civil works, electrical cabling and overall installation all of which is to be provided in accordance with Fairport’s design and engineering requirements and on-site management and supervision requirements.

If you would like further information about this project then please contact our Communications Manager : LWhite@Fairport.co.uk FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER

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MOBILE FLEXIBLE SCREW CONVEYOR FOR BULK BAG DISCHARGING AND MANUAL DUMPING A new FLEXICON ÂŽ Mobile Flexible Screw Conveyor with multi-purpose hood transfers material discharged from bulk bags and/or manually dumped from handheld sacks into elevatedprocess equipment or storage vessels dust free.

Mounted on a frame with locking castors for in-plant mobility, the system improves mobility and reduces cost by eliminating heavy frame components typically employed to support bulk bags, relying on the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forklift or plant hoist to suspend the bag above the unit during operation.

An iris valve positioned atop the dust hood allows variable control of flow through the bulk bag spout. A bag support tray and hinged door allow the manual addition of minor ingredients from handheld sacks.

The flexible screw conveyor transports both free- and non-free- flowing bulk materials including products that pack, cake, smear, seize or fluidise, with no separation of blends. Mounting flanges at the discharge end of the conveyor support boom permit the addition of a metal detector below the conveyor outlet.

All material contact surfaces are of stainless steel finished to sanitary or industrial standards with the exception of the conveyors polymer outer tube. The mobile frame is constructed of carbon steel with a durable industrial coating, and is also available in stainless steel.

Flexicon also manufactures stationary flexible screw conveyors, tubular cable conveyors, pneumatic conveying systems, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag conditioners, bulk bag fillers, bag dump stations, drum/box/container tippers, weigh batching and blending systems, and engineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls.

For information contact Flexicon Europe Ltd, Tel: +44 (0)1227 374710 Email: sales@flexicon.co.uk,| Web: www.flexicon.co.uk

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PROCESS INDUSTRY INFORMER FEBRUARY 2018 - SHAPA Supplement

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