BOCA RATON, Fla.-- Spear & Jackson, Inc., announced that its division Eclipse Magnetics Ltd., recently launched what it claimed to be the first "secondary" design type of high intensity magnetic separator for use in pneumatic conveying lines.

The PneuMag can be utilized in both blown and vacuum lines, and is capable of removing ferrous and stainless steel contamination introduced by incoming ingredients and line wear etc., from flour, sugar, granulates and other powders at line speed up to 25 meters per second.

This new product incorporates a centrally positioned high intensity magnetic grid cartridge with "easy clean" facility. The magnetic cartridge is secured into the housing via quick release toggle clamps, this dramatically reduces the time required to clean the unit, which can be short as 30 seconds.

As an added benefit the unit is also supplied with a lockable anti-tamper proof cover and blue metal detectable silicon rubber seal.

The PneuMag is an invaluable addition to any food manufacturers quality assurance plan and can be used in conjunction with already established HACCP schemes.

Spear & Jackson, based in Sheffield, England is one of the largest and oldest tool manufacturers in the UK. Spear & Jackson's roots go back to the 1740's as one of the premium tool manufacturers. Spear & Jackson manufacturers and distributes magnetic equipment. They sell their products under Spear & Jackson, and Eclipse Magnetics Brands.

Source:  http://www.eclipse-magnetics.co.uk/

NAPLES, FLORIDA . The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) reports that total new orders increased 3% and billed sales (shipments) were up 22% for Bulk but down 11% for Unit Handling in the first six months of 2003.

CEMA estimates that industry new orders totaled $2.3 billion, up slightly from 2002, and shipments totaled $2.45 billion. The executives representing CEMA member companies who attended the fall meeting felt confident that new equipment orders and shipments would continue to recover in 2003. CEMA President, Bill Casey announced the results at the Association's fall meeting in Chicago.

CEMA tracks new orders and shipped sales volume in seven classes of unit handling equipment and five classes of bulk handling equipment.  Trends are totaled and graphed for all product classes in Bulk Handling Equipment, Unit Handling Equipment and Total CEMA members. An electronic version of this document and graphs is located on the CEMA web site at www.cemanet.org/press/semi.html.

Founded in 1933, CEMA is the trade association of leading North American conveyor equipment manufacturers and engineering firms. CEMA also makes available to both member and nonmember companies, safety labels for all types of conveyor equipment as well as useful technical information and manuals.

Source:  http://www.cemanet.org/

Malvern, UK -- Malvern Instruments' new Zetasizer Nano ZS particle characterization system has won Instrument Business Outlook's (IBO) 2003 Gold Award for excellence in analytical and life science instrument industrial design.

Launched earlier this year, the Zetasizer Nano ZS measures particle size, zeta potential and molecular weight all within one fully automated and highly versatile unit.

Tanya Samazan, managing editor of IBO said: “The Zetasizer Nano ZS' innovative design clearly distinguishes it from other laboratory instruments and its modern, streamlined appearance conveys ease of use and cutting edge technology.”

According to Malcolm Connah, product manager at Malvern Instruments, making the system easy to use was the main motivation behind the design: “Laboratory staff are rarely dedicated to the operation of one system nowadays, so a product that is easy to use gives the operator confidence in the results, as there is less chance for error.”

To facilitate ease of use, the Zetasizer Nano ZS features the first ever entirely disposable cell for zeta potential measurement. Although reusable, the cell is a low enough cost to be replaced regularly, removing the risk of cross-contamination and eliminating cell cleaning. The use of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to control the measurement process also ensures optimum performance and excellent repeatability between operators.

“The biggest challenge initially was the conversion of the idea of a number of complex curves into a computer design that could actually be manufactured,” said Malcolm Connah. “This was an iterative process, with the overriding view that functionality in terms of the instrument’s performance should not be compromised.“

The Zetasizer Nano ZS was developed in-house at Malvern. “Using internal resources meant that the time from the initial concepts through to final design was shorter than if we had used an external design team,” said Malcolm Connah. “The whole team at Malvern Instruments is thrilled about receiving this award.”

About Malvern Instruments

Malvern Instruments is a world-leading developer and manufacturer of laboratory-based and in-process systems for particle characterization. Malvern systems for automated particle sizing, particle shape and size analysis, specialist spray and aerosol analysis, zeta potential measurement and on-line particle sizing are used throughout industry and academia, across a wide range of applications.

For more information contact:
Ms. Marisa Fraser
Malvern Instruments Inc.
10 Southville Road
Southborough , MA 01772
Tel: +1 508 480 0200
Fax: +1 508 460 9692
Email:  marisa.fraser@malvernusa.com
Web site:  http://www.malvern.co.uk/

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- WAM Systems, a leading provider of advanced supply chain planning solutions designed exclusively for the chemical industry, today announced its commercial release and successful deployment of RemoteCast, a new extension of Picaso Collaborative Forecasting. Designed specifically with the chemical sales executive in mind, Picaso’s RemoteCast Forecasting frees travelers from the Internet tether that other systems require.

Lyondell Chemical Company, and its joint venture Equistar Chemicals, LP, have recently completed the first deployment of the RemoteCast technology. “Our polymers business has utilized WAM’s Picaso forecasting tool for more than a decade. The new release of WAM’s RemoteCast technology provides enhanced information portability that has dramatically improved our sales efficiency,” said Tom Williams, director of regional sales for Equistar.

“For too long, the chemical sales force has been stranded without critical information when away from the office,” said Mark Zod, chief technology officer for WAM Systems. “Despite advances in wireless and broadband accessibility, sales professionals in the chemical industry require access to information when offline, whether traveling or at client sites, and RemoteCast provides this full featured complement to the Picaso solution suite.”

RemoteCast’s easy-to-use forecast browser provides personalized views of historical, statistical, and collaborative forecast information tailored to each sales professional who uses the system. Forecast updates can be entered into RemoteCast offline and then synchronized with the application’s centralized demand planning database once Internet connectivity is resumed. As a result, key customer and supply chain information is available on the road without the need for a constant connection.

WAM Systems, Inc. develops advanced supply chain planning solutions designed exclusively for the chemical industry. Picaso™, its premier advanced supply chain planning solution used by leading chemical manufacturers, provides a broad set of decision support and optimization tools that address collaborative sales forecasting, production optimization, inventory management, distribution network optimization, production planning and scheduling, and procurement planning.

Source:  http://www.wamsystems.com/

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

Mr. Crooks needs help with screening:

Hello, In my screening application I use screens with one square wire and one round wire.  I am wondering if any of you have experience with this type of wire screen?

I am looking to have some more manufactured and would like to stay away from the OEM.  North American or Overseas Manufacturers are welcome.  Time is of the Essence
(Click here to post a reply)

Thanks in advance,
Steve_Crooks
Gerard Daniel Worldwide
scrooks@gerarddaniel.com

Mr. Coward needs a simple sampler for coal:

I am looking for a very simple, in-chute bucket sampler for coal.  It is to replace a currently manual operation of an operator with a 6 litre 'bucket' on a pole taking a sample of falling coal in a chute approx 750mm square.

Basically it needs about 500mm stroke and be able to rotate the bucket at the end of stroke to fill the bucket and then tip it out.  The sample does not need to be representative.  We need to install about 20 of these so they need to be cheap & simple.  Prefer electric drive.
(Click here to post a reply)

Thanks,
Dale Coward
dale.coward@bigpond.com

Click here to share your expertise with others in our Help Forum.

FOR SALE: Batch Mixer & Gear Box

Johns Manville in Waterville, OH has a used Mixer Systems Model 6800 Batch Mixer with 80 cubic feet mix capacity and a new S-20 Fairfield Gear Box available for sale. Picture of the mixer is attached. Sale "as is" Waterville, Ohio.  Click here more details

Do you have new, used or refurbished equipment for sale?
List your equipment and/or services in our E-Classifieds.  Its quick, simple and you can pay by credit card!.  You can even include a photograph with your ad!  

We now accept all major credit cards

Chute Specialist Wanted - Chicago, IL

Project Manager -- Transfer Chutes:  This is a key position in which the ideal person will have an authoritative quality.  The Project Manager will function as the "go to" person for all major projects.  This person must have good design talent, be able to obtain respect amongst both internal employees and clients.  The Project Manager must be able to take the ball and run with it and will play a large role in the future direction of the company.

Job Description Summary:  Work in office with occasional field visits.  Multi-talented person to complete detailed chute General Arrangement drawings in ACAD 200x for coal flow along with understanding material flow nuances.  Also, be a reference for containment products such as belt scrapers and skirt seals, along with various liner materials.  Structural steel calculations and limited design also required.  Work on projects from beginning (site visit and proposal) through end (design, fabrication, installation, start up).
 
The various disciplines or backgrounds of the ideal candidate includes:
-Transfer chute detail designer, ideally coal, others acceptable.
-Limited Civil Engineering for structural steel and cement foundations design work.
-Limited steel forming/manufacturing knowledge (how chutes and liners can be fabricated and installed)
-Experience with computer modeling, 3D or other  
-Complete belt conveyor design work, from head to tail including drive sizing and selection
-Limited other material handling knowledge materials like cement or equipment like pneumatic conveying or process like hopper flow analysis.

General Requirements:
-10 years minimum experience, 15+ preferred
-Conveying industry work with above ground conveying equipment
-Work with conveying bulk materials such as coal, rock, aggregates
-Project estimating capabilities (for proposal work)
 
please send resume to msmart@sterling-engineering.com

The Job Fair is a free service of Powder and Bulk Dot Com.  You can post job opening for managers, engineers, sales, reps or other talented people you need. ...Or one can post their resume for companies who are looking to add talented people to their staff.

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© 1999-2003 Powder and Bulk Dot Com
Home page:  http://www.powderandbulk.com/

Joseph Taylor, Editor
Powder and Bulk Dot Com Newsletter
3948 South Third Street, No. 121
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

Phone: 904-280-4656
Fax: 904-273-1399

Email:  jtaylor@powderandbulk.com

Powder and Bulk Dot Com's Newsletter is a 100% opt-in e-mail list of information for the materials handling professional.  Do you have company news, a new product, new service or other information you would like to share with our subscribers?  Please submit articles via e-mail, only to: news@powderandbulk.com

Our goal is to provide information to improve your business by using the resources available on the Internet.

Thanks,
Joe Taylor, Editor
jtaylor@powderandbulk.com

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Mixing of Solids
(Powder Technology Series, No. 12)
by Ralf Weinekotter, Hermann Gericke
Hardcover, 176 pages, February 2000

.

Silos: Fundamental of Theory, Behavior & Design
by C. J. Brown, J. Nielsen (Editors)
Hardcover: 864 pages, February 1998

.

Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers (10th Edition)
by E. Avallone, T. Baumeister (editors)
Hard Cover, 10th Edition, July 1996

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

Increasing Conveying Rates in Pneumatic Systems
Guest article by A. Tim Agarwal,
Pneumatic Conveying Consultants

Past Ask Joe! Archived Articles

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This week's homepage photo is an inside view of a Lodige, 20,000 liter continuous rubber-lined mixer for blending 800 mt/hr of iron ore with bentonite binder in Eastern Quebec.  Lodige Process Technology is a leading supplier systems for industrial mixing for bulk solids, powders, dusts and pastes.

Photo courtesy of Terry Frank of Lodige Process Technology Inc.

Send us your photos:  We would love to have your photo of a bulk materials process, packaging, conveying or handling "action shot" for our home page.  Send your photograph and description to: news@powderandbulk.com