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E QUIPMENT
NEWS
Grinding or sanding can create enough dust to stop operators from working until the air around the workpiece clears (left). The ECB continuously removes this dust (right).
Dust-removing booths enhance productivity DUST g e n e r a t e d by finishing o p e r a t i o n s can be cont i n u o u s l y r e m o v e d to allow u n i n t e r r u p t e d w o r k on a c o m p o s i t e p r o d u c t . The Env i r o n m e n t a l C o n t r o l Booth (ECB) f r o m D o n a l d s o n Torit d r a w s a n d filters air f r o m a r o u n d a w o r k p i e c e t h a t is being ground, for e x a m p l e , at r a t e of 0.7 m/sec. The c o m p a n y says t h a t use of the booth increases productivity, p r o t e c t s w o r k e r s f r o m noise a n d dust, a n d r e d u c e s t h e risk of fire a n d t h e dust-
[ ] Machine issues catalyst accurately PROPORTIONING of c a t a lyst can be a c c u r a t e l y carr i e d o u t by t h e U n i s o n metering machine from Poly-Craft of B u r b a n k , California, USA. The c o m p a n y says t h a t its m a c h i n e can be s e t a n d left to o p e r a t e . Moulders no longer h a v e to u s e g u e s s w o r k to m i x resin a n d c a t a l y s t in t h e c o r r e c t ratios. Unison h a s a s i m p l e dial t h a t o p e r a t o r s set to m a k e the m a c h i n e issue b e t w e e n 0.5% a n d 3% of catalyst. Moulders can check the p r o p o r t i o n o f c a t a l y s t to resin t h a t is being issued on a flow meter. The prop o r t i o n e r , which h a s to be u s e d w i t h Poly-Craft's 12:1 r a t i o resin p u m p , will m e t e r u p to f o u r fluids. It will
REINFORCED PLASTICS JANUARY 1993
c a u s e d electrical a n d mechanical failures of equipment. An ECB c o m p r i s e s a n a s s e m b l y of several m o d ules t h a t m a k e u p t h e walls of t h e booth. E a c h m o d u l e consists of filter elements, an electrically driven ventil a t o r t h a t d r a w s in air a n d d u s t drawers. The size of t h e ECB can be i n c r e a s e d or d e c r e a s e d by c h a n g i n g the n u m b e r of m o d u l e s in it. Different filters are u s e d d e p e n d i n g on t h e kind of d u s t t h a t is p r o d u c e d . Donaldson Torit's Ultra-web filters h a v e a d u s t r e m o v a l e f f i c i e n c y o f 99.7% w i t h
p a r t i c l e s of 0.3 ~m. T h e U l t r a - T e k filters are u s e d w h e n finishing o p e r a t i o n s c r e a t e fibrous dust. Both types of filter are c l e a n e d using p u l s e s of air from a 0.6-0.7 MPa air supply. T h e s e p u l s e s p u s h d u s t o u t of the filters into the dust drawersfrom which it can l a t e r be r e m o v e d for disposal. An electronic m o d u l e c o n t r o l s pulses. E a c h booth, which n e e d s a t h r e e - p h a s e 415 V electricity supply, h a s a ligh.t to i l l u m i n a t e t h e w o r k area. D o n a l d s o n Torit Europe; tel: + 3 2 - 1 6 - 4 0 0 4 9 6 ; f a x : + 32-16-400077.
connect directly with the c o n t a i n e r in w h i c h t h e catalyst is s h i p p e d . This elimi n a t e s the risk of c a t a l y s t being c o n t a m i n a t e d d u r i n g
its t r a n s f e r f r o m one vessel to a n o t h e r . Poly-Crafl S y s t e m s ; tel: + 1-800-423-3694; fax: + 1-818-845-1852.
comes in
. . . .a. d. .d. . .m o r e"-.resin . . . . . . .p. .u. m . . .p s , to e a c h for a different colour
The Pro-Series
gel.coat-
flushed 'by passing
gel-
2 0n 6~ - 8~ 5, 4 - 2~6 6 0 ; f a x : ~ ~,~,~-u~,-~-, . . . .
+ 1-
E
QUIPMENT NEWS
1
Poly-Craft's HVLP gun,
Gun reduces stray resin spray AIRBORNE emissions of resin d u r i n g s p r a y u p can be minimized by HVLP (high volume low pressure) guns m a d e by PolyCraft Systems of B u r b a n k , California, USA. The c o m p a n y says t h a t t h e HVLP technology, b o r r o w e d f r o m the p a i n t industry, will h e l p m o u l d e r s k e e p to environmental regulations without sacrificing s p e e d or quality of spray. The devices use hydraulically assisted air a t o m i z a t i o n to deliver gelcoat or resin at a high t r a n s f e r eficiency. G e l - c o a t s or resins are p r e - a t o m i z e d in t h e conventional way using an airless s p r a y tip. H i g h - v o l u m e lowp r e s s u r e air is t h e n introd u c e d into t h e t h e s p r a y p a t t e r n to c r e a t e a s o f t
[]
s p r a y t h a t gives a h i g h q u a l i t y finish. O p e r a t o r s c a n c h a n g e the s p r a y p a t t e r n w i t h o u t the air pressure exceeding 69 kPa. The HVLP gun can
be u s e d w i t h c l e a r pigmented gel-coats glass-filled resins.
and and
Poly-Crafl Systems; tel: + 1-800-423-3694; fax: + 1-818-845-1852.
RTM valve allows flushing w i t h o u t gun removal
RESIN t r a n s f e r m o u l d i n g (RTM) can be s p e e d e d u p by t h e use of a valve f r o m Venus Gusmer of Kent Washington, USA. The m a n ufacturer says that the device h a s a r e m o t e l y actua t e d a c c e s s o r y t h a t allows r e m o t e flushing w i t h o u t t h e r e m o v a l of the resin gun. The valve's flush trigger, air p u r g e a n d resin line are s w i t c h e d off a t a r e m o t e control panel, a l t h o u g h t h e valve c a n be c o n t r o l l e d by c o m p u t e r . Venus G u s m e r says t h a t its valve c a n be used with all of its RTM equipment including the HIS H y d r a j e c t o r , for lowp r e s s u r e injection with an o u t p u t of a b o u t 11 k g / m i n ; a n d the EPO1, for o u t p u t s of u p to a b o u t 3.6 kg in s t a n d a r d r a t i o s b e t w e e n 1:1 a n d 1:4.
Venus Gusmer's valve for resin transfer moulding allows remote flushing without gun removal.
Venus Gusmer; tel: + 1206-854-2660; f a x : + 1206-854-1666.
REINFORCED PLASTICS JANUARY 199;3
NEWS
Grinding or sanding can create enough dust to stop operators from working until the air around the workpiece clears (left). The ECB continuously removes this dust (right).
Dust-removing booths enhance productivity DUST g e n e r a t e d by finishing o p e r a t i o n s can be cont i n u o u s l y r e m o v e d to allow u n i n t e r r u p t e d w o r k on a c o m p o s i t e p r o d u c t . The Env i r o n m e n t a l C o n t r o l Booth (ECB) f r o m D o n a l d s o n Torit d r a w s a n d filters air f r o m a r o u n d a w o r k p i e c e t h a t is being ground, for e x a m p l e , at r a t e of 0.7 m/sec. The c o m p a n y says t h a t use of the booth increases productivity, p r o t e c t s w o r k e r s f r o m noise a n d dust, a n d r e d u c e s t h e risk of fire a n d t h e dust-
[ ] Machine issues catalyst accurately PROPORTIONING of c a t a lyst can be a c c u r a t e l y carr i e d o u t by t h e U n i s o n metering machine from Poly-Craft of B u r b a n k , California, USA. The c o m p a n y says t h a t its m a c h i n e can be s e t a n d left to o p e r a t e . Moulders no longer h a v e to u s e g u e s s w o r k to m i x resin a n d c a t a l y s t in t h e c o r r e c t ratios. Unison h a s a s i m p l e dial t h a t o p e r a t o r s set to m a k e the m a c h i n e issue b e t w e e n 0.5% a n d 3% of catalyst. Moulders can check the p r o p o r t i o n o f c a t a l y s t to resin t h a t is being issued on a flow meter. The prop o r t i o n e r , which h a s to be u s e d w i t h Poly-Craft's 12:1 r a t i o resin p u m p , will m e t e r u p to f o u r fluids. It will
REINFORCED PLASTICS JANUARY 1993
c a u s e d electrical a n d mechanical failures of equipment. An ECB c o m p r i s e s a n a s s e m b l y of several m o d ules t h a t m a k e u p t h e walls of t h e booth. E a c h m o d u l e consists of filter elements, an electrically driven ventil a t o r t h a t d r a w s in air a n d d u s t drawers. The size of t h e ECB can be i n c r e a s e d or d e c r e a s e d by c h a n g i n g the n u m b e r of m o d u l e s in it. Different filters are u s e d d e p e n d i n g on t h e kind of d u s t t h a t is p r o d u c e d . Donaldson Torit's Ultra-web filters h a v e a d u s t r e m o v a l e f f i c i e n c y o f 99.7% w i t h
p a r t i c l e s of 0.3 ~m. T h e U l t r a - T e k filters are u s e d w h e n finishing o p e r a t i o n s c r e a t e fibrous dust. Both types of filter are c l e a n e d using p u l s e s of air from a 0.6-0.7 MPa air supply. T h e s e p u l s e s p u s h d u s t o u t of the filters into the dust drawersfrom which it can l a t e r be r e m o v e d for disposal. An electronic m o d u l e c o n t r o l s pulses. E a c h booth, which n e e d s a t h r e e - p h a s e 415 V electricity supply, h a s a ligh.t to i l l u m i n a t e t h e w o r k area. D o n a l d s o n Torit Europe; tel: + 3 2 - 1 6 - 4 0 0 4 9 6 ; f a x : + 32-16-400077.
connect directly with the c o n t a i n e r in w h i c h t h e catalyst is s h i p p e d . This elimi n a t e s the risk of c a t a l y s t being c o n t a m i n a t e d d u r i n g
its t r a n s f e r f r o m one vessel to a n o t h e r . Poly-Crafl S y s t e m s ; tel: + 1-800-423-3694; fax: + 1-818-845-1852.
comes in
. . . .a. d. .d. . .m o r e"-.resin . . . . . . .p. .u. m . . .p s , to e a c h for a different colour
The Pro-Series
gel.coat-
flushed 'by passing
gel-
2 0n 6~ - 8~ 5, 4 - 2~6 6 0 ; f a x : ~ ~,~,~-u~,-~-, . . . .
+ 1-
E
QUIPMENT NEWS
1
Poly-Craft's HVLP gun,
Gun reduces stray resin spray AIRBORNE emissions of resin d u r i n g s p r a y u p can be minimized by HVLP (high volume low pressure) guns m a d e by PolyCraft Systems of B u r b a n k , California, USA. The c o m p a n y says t h a t t h e HVLP technology, b o r r o w e d f r o m the p a i n t industry, will h e l p m o u l d e r s k e e p to environmental regulations without sacrificing s p e e d or quality of spray. The devices use hydraulically assisted air a t o m i z a t i o n to deliver gelcoat or resin at a high t r a n s f e r eficiency. G e l - c o a t s or resins are p r e - a t o m i z e d in t h e conventional way using an airless s p r a y tip. H i g h - v o l u m e lowp r e s s u r e air is t h e n introd u c e d into t h e t h e s p r a y p a t t e r n to c r e a t e a s o f t
[]
s p r a y t h a t gives a h i g h q u a l i t y finish. O p e r a t o r s c a n c h a n g e the s p r a y p a t t e r n w i t h o u t the air pressure exceeding 69 kPa. The HVLP gun can
be u s e d w i t h c l e a r pigmented gel-coats glass-filled resins.
and and
Poly-Crafl Systems; tel: + 1-800-423-3694; fax: + 1-818-845-1852.
RTM valve allows flushing w i t h o u t gun removal
RESIN t r a n s f e r m o u l d i n g (RTM) can be s p e e d e d u p by t h e use of a valve f r o m Venus Gusmer of Kent Washington, USA. The m a n ufacturer says that the device h a s a r e m o t e l y actua t e d a c c e s s o r y t h a t allows r e m o t e flushing w i t h o u t t h e r e m o v a l of the resin gun. The valve's flush trigger, air p u r g e a n d resin line are s w i t c h e d off a t a r e m o t e control panel, a l t h o u g h t h e valve c a n be c o n t r o l l e d by c o m p u t e r . Venus G u s m e r says t h a t its valve c a n be used with all of its RTM equipment including the HIS H y d r a j e c t o r , for lowp r e s s u r e injection with an o u t p u t of a b o u t 11 k g / m i n ; a n d the EPO1, for o u t p u t s of u p to a b o u t 3.6 kg in s t a n d a r d r a t i o s b e t w e e n 1:1 a n d 1:4.
Venus Gusmer's valve for resin transfer moulding allows remote flushing without gun removal.
Venus Gusmer; tel: + 1206-854-2660; f a x : + 1206-854-1666.
REINFORCED PLASTICS JANUARY 199;3