UniTrak Introduces Powderflight Conveyors

Port Hope, ON -- UniTrak Corporation Limited, manufacturers of the TipTrak bucket elevator line, announced today that they are marketing Powderflight® aeromechanical conveyors in North America and introduced the line at the Powder Show in Rosemont. Powderflight conveyors are part of the product line of UniTrak’s subsidiary in the United Kingdom - UniTrak Powderflight Limited.

The aeromechanical conveyors handle anything from chalk to lead shot, but in UniTrak President, Bill Gorsline’s words “They hit peak efficiency handling fine powder or granules. They handle a wide variety of materials, with minimal product degradation and no separation of blended materials.” Gorsline described typical applications as “Filling silos or tankers, batching various products into a mixer, feeding reactor vessels, or from mixers or reactor vessels to bulk bags. It’s a very versatile conveyor, and it has a small footprint, so it can provide solutions in some very tight spaces.”

Gorsline stated that Powderflight’s ability to operate efficiently at all angles is a major asset. “Any angle—zero to ninety. Ninety degrees vertical is the most efficient configuration, and Powderflight can go to vertical without any loss in capacity. The range of configurations and system layouts is virtually limitless, and integration into a process line is easy using standard components.”

Powderflight conveyors are manufactured in three models, varying by capacity: Model M75 will handle 6 cubic feet per minute; M100 – 13 cubic feet; M125 – 25 cubic feet.

Asked about through-put, Gorsline stated, “An M100 will take roughly two hours to empty a 24-ton bulk tanker/carrier. For emptying bulk bags, we’d expect to handle four to six bags an hour.”

Powderflight has well-established credentials in Europe, says Marie Lytle, UniTrak’s Marketing Team Leader. “It’s earned a solid reputation as a reliable, affordable machine that delivers predictable, high-efficiency, dust-free handling for a wide variety of food and chemical materials.

For more information visit http://www.unitrak.com/

CEMA : Equipment Sales Decrease in March 06

NAPLES, FL -- The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association reported that its March 2006 Booked Orders Index was 151 up 21 points or an increase of 16% from February 2006's Index of 130 (1990=100). The March 2006 Index represents a decrease of 3% from the March 2005 Index of 155.

March Booked Orders Indexes were 220 for Bulk Handling Equipment* and 127 for Unit Handling Equipment*(1990=100).

The Twelve-Month Index for Booked Orders was 147 in March. Index represents no change from February 2006's Twelve-Month Index of 147.

The CEMA Billed Sales (shipments) Index was 160 in March up 21 points or an increase of 15% from the February Index of 139. The March 2006 Index represents an increase of 5% from the March 2005 Index of 153.

March Billed Sales Indexes were 215 for Bulk Handling Equipment* and 154 for Unit Handling Equipment*(1990=100).

The Twelve-Month Index for Billed Sales was 141 in March. Index represents no change from February's 2006's Twelve-Month Index of 141.

* Since Bulk Handling Systems booked and billed sales are reported quarterly, they are averaged back to the two preceding months to enable a running monthly index.

Source: http://www.cemanet.org/

Upgrades for Filling and Packaging Machinery

HOUSTON, TX -- Thompson Scale Company, a leader in weighing systems, packaging machinery controls, and custom production scales announces its filler machine upgrade capabilities. Filler upgrades provide a cost-effective way to modernize existing equipment to maximize their productivity.

The 4693 Filler Upgrade from Thompson Scale is available for a large variety of filling and packaging equipment, including machinery that puts product in bags, boxes, tubs, totes, drums, or bulk bags. Highly integrated, yet simple to use, controls along with new components are used to increase the accuracy of mechanical packaging machinery and improve operations.

Many valve bag filling machines are still in their original all-mechanical condition. Others have either been purchased with some form of controls, or have been modified to provide electronic control, but still lack the accuracy and performance that most companies require.

The upgrade process mainly consists of removal and replacement of existing mechanical counterweights and levers, replacing them with rigid and accurate flexure load cell frames. The existing pneumatic controls are removed and replaced with electrically controlled solenoid valves and new piping. The installation of electronic filler controls makes each system complete and up to date.

This upgrade uses advanced technology to achieve the desired results. A high precision load cell flexure provides accurate weighments for precise filling. The filler controls offer an extensive feature set with the highest possible accuracy. An internal closed-loop feedback is capable of weight tracking and control.

Thompson Scale’s unique Traffic Control feature allows up to four spouts on a common production line to be operated by two 4693 Controllers. Controls are "networked" via the Traffic Control card, and allow complete control of bag drops, increasing production rates and eliminating bag jams. Filler upgrades also allow total control of all filler equipment I/O with no PLC required. Another useful feature is the modernized equipment’s ability to integrate to TSC’s StatPak-PC production reporting and analysis software.

Mechanical or old electronic packers take at least four to five bags on each scale to "line-out" the filler and achieve acceptable weights when changing from one product or weight to another. The 4693 Filler Upgrade hits target weight on the first bag or second bag. This dramatically reduces product changeover time and reduces waste.

Most existing mechanical fillers require the operator to pay close attention to changes in bulk density and final weights, adjusting the packer many times during production to ensure the weight of the bags stay within specifications. The upgrade eliminates this time consuming process since the controls automatically track changes in bulk density and flow rates. A final check weigh is also performed on every bag to confirm proper weight. All of this can be done without sacrificing production rates.

Mechanical fillers require near-constant maintenance to remain accurate. This upgrade eliminates virtually all moving scale parts and requires little to no maintenance. Calibration is usually only required once a month. Typically, the upgrade reduces rejects from the industry average of 5 to 8% to less than 2%. The cost of a filler upgrade can quickly be recovered with the amount of improvement it makes to overall production and product weight accuracy.

Thompson Scale’s 4693 Universal Filler Controller is capable of operating multi-fill heads or spouts. This controller can hold 75 unique product recipes in memory and display useful information on production. Each controller also offers English and Spanish menus in full sentences for better comprehension. Control components are interchangeable with our line of checkweigher controls for simplified troubleshooting and common spare parts.

Filler upgrades are available now and are field installed directly by Thompson Scale’s highly experienced technicians. They provide complete start-up and training with minimal downtime.

For more information, visit our website at www.thompsonscale.com

Premier Introduces New Products at NPE 2006

SALINA, KS -- Premier Pneumatics, Inc. is pleased to announce the introduction of the 2400 Series3 2420 PVC Compound Receiver. The 2420 has been specifically designed to provide high efficiency material separation when handling fine powders as well as regrind, granular materials and pellets. This receiver features a low overall height by incorporating a cyclonic primary separator coupled with an internal cartridge secondary separator with automatic air pulse cleaning.

Another product Premier will be introducing at NPE 2006 is the ProBlend™ Zone Blender which is used for blending or homogenizing of any free flowing bulk material, within a hopper or silo. The blender provides ten different flow zones in which the material passes through the silo at different velocities and resident times. The Zone Blender uses a combination of mass flow (first in – first out) with funnel flow (last in – last out) to provide a homogenous blend and eliminate the effects of segregation, even with dissimilar materials.

Other products at the show will include:
• Model 2410 Perforated Pellet Receiver
• Model 2415 Powder Receiver
• Model 2423 Powder Receiver
• Modular Cartridge Bin Vent
• Cyclone/Aerolock™ Rotary Valve Group
• Gravimetric Batch Blender
• MD Aerolock with flextip
• HD Aerolock with adjustable packing seals w/springs
• PLC & Microprocessor

With over 52 years in the bulk material handling industry, Premier offers complete pneumatic conveying systems, individual system components, and system controls ranging from manually operated to PLC. Components include Aerolock™ rotary valves, diverter valves, Series 2400 vacuum loaders and receivers, in-plant transfer systems, separators and receivers, blower packages, bulk and railcar unloading systems, feeders, mixers, dryers, drying hoppers, and storage tanks.

For more information contact:
Premier Pneumatics, Inc.
606 North Front Street
P. O. Box 17
Salina, Kansas 67402-0017
Phone: (785) 826-9302
Email: premier@premierpneumatics.com
Web site: www.premierpneumatics.com

I

New NanoTrace Moisture Analyzer The DF-745 offers a Low Detection Limit (LDL) of 2 ppb for applications that don't require the most demanding detection limits.

K-Tron Introduces New Products at NPE
The K-Tron Process Group will introduce new KCM feeder controls, the new K-Vision operator interface and new additions to the Bulk Solids Pump Feeder line.

Innovative Drying, Blending & Conveying System Dri-Air Industries has introduced a new solution for drying, blending and conveying three different components.

More headline news...

People post their requests for help and offer their suggestions to others in our open forum.

Mr. Holen wants to find an engineering workshop:

My company has received an order in Brasov/Romania. For this order do we need to manufacture both ducting, the filter body, brackets, etc.

We want to come in contact with an engineering workshops in Romania, preferably close to Brasov. (to post reply, click here)

Thanks,
Hans Holen
Alfsen og Gunderson AS
hans.christian.holen@ag.no

Mr. Yao needs a "leaching vessel" manufacture for quartz:

I'm looking for a leaching vessel which to be used for High Purity Quartz (HPQ. For preparing very pure quartz, always mix dilute HF and raw quartz into a leaching vessel. Most minerals dissolve faster than quartz in dilute HF and can be etched away to leave a very pure quartz residue.

Could you please let me which company are specializing in manufacturing leaching vessel for HPQ.
(to post reply, click here)

Frank Yao
Shanghai Tomars
yaohj777@hotmail.com 

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Regional Sales Manager - Benelux Territory

Our client is a leading pioneer in the development and manufacture of process equipment and technology, providing innovative solutions for global process industries including chemical, food, mineral processing, plastic compounding and agribusiness. As part of their strategic plan they now seek to appoint an experienced Sales Engineer to be responsible for the Benelux Region. Sales are made through Specifiers, Sales Agents and also direct to end users which include major accounts.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Regional Sales Director, you will be responsible for managing, developing and profitably growing sales of the Company's products throughout the Benelux region including Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Working with the Regional Sales Director you will agree targets, pricing and generate enquiries and sales from agreed target markets within the territory and will identify and capture new business opportunities whilst maximizing sales with existing Clients.

You will also provide regular and accurate reports on sales performance and opportunities whilst providing market information on competitors, pricing and general trends to assist you with budgeting, planning and future forecasting.

COMPENSATION

Up to € 60,000 package plus car plus benefits.

THE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will be of graduate calibre with a background in Engineering/Manufacturing, and will have experience of working in a technical sales environment. Preferably you will come from a process equipment manufacturer or other materials handling equipment sectors including mixers, dryers, milling machines, sieving machines, dry bulk handling or conveying systems.

You will be committed, energetic and enthusiastic with drive and ambition, able to work autonomously with minimum supervision and be willing, able and flexible to travel internationally as required. You should be able to demonstrate sound experience in major account management, management of agents and have a strong network of contacts in the specifiers.

You should have a demonstrable track record of dealing with customers with a high degree of professionalism and apply this to dealing with the parent company and the provision of regular and accurate reports to the UK. Fluency in English and Dutch is a pre-requisite, the ability to speak French and/or another European language would also be ideal.

This is an excellent opportunity which to advance your career in Engineering/Manufacturing sales within an ambitious organization where the only limits are the ones you place upon yourself.

If you want to be part of their on-going success then please forward
a fully up-to-date C.V. to:
Philip Davey
Efficens Resourcing Ltd.
Efficens House, 25
Denbrook Avenue
Tong, Bradford
West Yorkshire BD4 0QJ
England

or apply by email via philip.davey@efficens-resourcing.co.uk 
Please clearly include your current remuneration package.
 

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Computational Granular Dynamics :
Models and Algorithms
by Thorsten Pцschel & T. Schwager
Hardcover, 322 pages, 2005

.

Handbook of Pneumatic
Conveying Engineering
by Mills, Jones & Agarwel
Hardcover, 1051 pages, 2004

.

Handbook of Industrial Mixing : Science and Practice
by Edward L. Paul, et al
Hardcover,1440 pages, 2003

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Find more books for the materials handling professional online, visit our Reading Room.

Flooding Powders :
When Is Permeability Important?
by David Stuart Dick
Solids Handling Technologies, Inc.

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