- Email: [email protected]
Seam Lase creates hermetic seal
sete august.qxd
8/1/02
3:09 PM
Page 16
NEWS
Dynamic seal makes pump reliable Swedish company ABS Pump AB has developed a dynamic seal which, it claims, offers exceptional reliability and low running costs. Called MasterSeal, it is designed for pulp, paper stock, slurries and other demanding applications, and it is based on a single repeller system. It is part of the company’s Pump Seal Integration — or System PSI — and because it makes use of a few rigid cast components, it is almost maintenance-free. Furthermore, there is no need for external sealing water which reduces costs because the use of sealing water piping is avoided, as is the need to treat sealing water. Because the pump impellers do not use any backvanes and only one dynamic seal repeller, MasterSeal has the lowest life cycle cost values of all seal variants, says ABS Pump, and compared with a mechanical seal (with water quench and a pump design with backvanes), the company claims that it can reduce costs by 65% during a five-year period of operation. For more information, contact: ABS Pump AB, Krokslätts Parkgata 4, PO Box 2056, S-431 02 Mölndal, Sweden. Tel: +46 3183 6300, Fax: +46 3118 4906, Email: [email protected].
US court rejects Osprey lawsuit A federal court in the USA has rejected an attempt to reopen a wrongful death lawsuit, brought by relatives of two men who were killed when a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed during 1992, allegedly because of sealing problems. Three Marines and four Boeing contract employees were killed in the crash near Quantico, Virginia. The Navy blamed it on an engine 16
fire caused by a leak of flammable fluids. The families sued Bell Helicopter Textron of Texas, a partner with Boeing in building the Osprey; General Motors, which made the engine; and Macrotech Fluid Sealing of Delaware. Both sides agreed that a seal worth US$10.25 was installed backwards by a Boeing mechanic but, the jury concluded there was no proof that this mistake had allowed oil to leak into the engine and caused the crash. The crash was one of several deadly accidents involving the Osprey — an aircraft that can lift off and land like a helicopter, but flies like a fixed wing airplane.
Federal-Mogul expands gasket product line Federal-Mogul Corp is expanding its Fel-Pro brand gasket product line, with more than 400 new part numbers representing complete sealing coverage of 23 popular late-model domestic and import engine applications. The new parts include new versions of Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus valve cover and oil pan gaskets, and multi-layer-steel (MLS) head gaskets. The PermaDryPlus products help engine technicians save time and money while eliminating chronic sealing complaints associated with the use of some older original equipment gasket technologies that are in replacement use, says the company. MLS head gaskets are designed and manufactured to withstand the increased casting motion, combustion pressures and temperatures encountered in many of today’s engines. The active layers of each gasket feature embossed beads at all critical sealing areas to help the gasket maintain contact with the head and block, and spring back to its proper shape. For more information, contact: Federal-Mogul Corp, 26555 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, USA. Tel: +1 248 354 7700, Fax: +1 248 354 8983.
Shell uses leaksealing specialist In the UK, Furmanite International Ltd has been awarded a three-year leak-sealing and onsite machining contract at the Shell Stanlow complex in Ellesmere Port. The site comprises a number of plants, each one of which will go though planned shutdowns over a seven-year cycle. On-line leaksealing and machining will be required between each shutdown to avoid additional unscheduled downtime. The contract, which was awarded earlier this year, has a strong accent on safety, says Furmanite. For more information, contact: Furmanite International Ltd, Furman House, Shap Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 6RU, UK. Tel: +44 1539 729009, Fax: +44 1539 729539, Email: [email protected].
Seam Lase creates hermetic seal Raptor Technology of New Baltimore, Michigan, USA, has announced positive test results for containers welded by its Seam Lase process, which is described as an innovative, patented method for joining materials such as aluminium and steel that are used to make packaging containers. The non-contact joining method offers advantages over traditional mechanical seaming, says the company. These include reduced material usage, by eradicating the need for a double seam; elimination of the costly lid gasket compound, by inherently providing a hermetic seal; and production flexibility, by accommodating a number of container sizes without timeconsuming tooling changeovers. Raptor Technology was challenged to prove that its process did
not adversely affect packaged contents. Seam Lase-welded aluminium beverage cans were analyzed with gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry. The results were then compared with those of cans that were seamed mechanically. The Seam Lase cans were found to contain very low levels of organic compounds, similar to those found in the mechanically seamed cans. According to the company, the laser welding process produced no significant contaminants, and in all cases, the levels of organic compounds were several orders of magnitude less than threshold limit values. Commercial applications are wide and varied in the packaging community says Raptor, which is seeking business partners to expand the technology throughout the can, container and packaging industry. For more information, contact: Raptor Technology Inc, 51747 Baker Road, New Baltimore, MI 48047, USA. Tel: & Fax: +1-586-716-9522; Email: [email protected].
Sika Automotive introduces SikaFoam US-based Sika Automotive has added SikaFoam to its automotive product line. The material is a two-component, rigid polyurethane, pumpable system that is used to fill body cavities. Depending on the density, SikaFoam can be used for acoustic and/or structural benefits. It is able to provide a complete seal against water, dust and noise. Structural benefits include crash and side impact, roof crush/rollover protection and joint stiffness. For more information, contact: Sika Corp, 201 Polito Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071, USA. Tel: +1 201 933 8800, Fax: +1 201 804 1076.
Or contact: Sika AG, Zugerstrasse 50, CH-6341 Baar, Switzerland. Tel: +41 41 768 6800, Fax: +41 41 768 6850.
Sealing Technology August 2002
8/1/02
3:09 PM
Page 16
NEWS
Dynamic seal makes pump reliable Swedish company ABS Pump AB has developed a dynamic seal which, it claims, offers exceptional reliability and low running costs. Called MasterSeal, it is designed for pulp, paper stock, slurries and other demanding applications, and it is based on a single repeller system. It is part of the company’s Pump Seal Integration — or System PSI — and because it makes use of a few rigid cast components, it is almost maintenance-free. Furthermore, there is no need for external sealing water which reduces costs because the use of sealing water piping is avoided, as is the need to treat sealing water. Because the pump impellers do not use any backvanes and only one dynamic seal repeller, MasterSeal has the lowest life cycle cost values of all seal variants, says ABS Pump, and compared with a mechanical seal (with water quench and a pump design with backvanes), the company claims that it can reduce costs by 65% during a five-year period of operation. For more information, contact: ABS Pump AB, Krokslätts Parkgata 4, PO Box 2056, S-431 02 Mölndal, Sweden. Tel: +46 3183 6300, Fax: +46 3118 4906, Email: [email protected].
US court rejects Osprey lawsuit A federal court in the USA has rejected an attempt to reopen a wrongful death lawsuit, brought by relatives of two men who were killed when a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed during 1992, allegedly because of sealing problems. Three Marines and four Boeing contract employees were killed in the crash near Quantico, Virginia. The Navy blamed it on an engine 16
fire caused by a leak of flammable fluids. The families sued Bell Helicopter Textron of Texas, a partner with Boeing in building the Osprey; General Motors, which made the engine; and Macrotech Fluid Sealing of Delaware. Both sides agreed that a seal worth US$10.25 was installed backwards by a Boeing mechanic but, the jury concluded there was no proof that this mistake had allowed oil to leak into the engine and caused the crash. The crash was one of several deadly accidents involving the Osprey — an aircraft that can lift off and land like a helicopter, but flies like a fixed wing airplane.
Federal-Mogul expands gasket product line Federal-Mogul Corp is expanding its Fel-Pro brand gasket product line, with more than 400 new part numbers representing complete sealing coverage of 23 popular late-model domestic and import engine applications. The new parts include new versions of Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus valve cover and oil pan gaskets, and multi-layer-steel (MLS) head gaskets. The PermaDryPlus products help engine technicians save time and money while eliminating chronic sealing complaints associated with the use of some older original equipment gasket technologies that are in replacement use, says the company. MLS head gaskets are designed and manufactured to withstand the increased casting motion, combustion pressures and temperatures encountered in many of today’s engines. The active layers of each gasket feature embossed beads at all critical sealing areas to help the gasket maintain contact with the head and block, and spring back to its proper shape. For more information, contact: Federal-Mogul Corp, 26555 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, USA. Tel: +1 248 354 7700, Fax: +1 248 354 8983.
Shell uses leaksealing specialist In the UK, Furmanite International Ltd has been awarded a three-year leak-sealing and onsite machining contract at the Shell Stanlow complex in Ellesmere Port. The site comprises a number of plants, each one of which will go though planned shutdowns over a seven-year cycle. On-line leaksealing and machining will be required between each shutdown to avoid additional unscheduled downtime. The contract, which was awarded earlier this year, has a strong accent on safety, says Furmanite. For more information, contact: Furmanite International Ltd, Furman House, Shap Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 6RU, UK. Tel: +44 1539 729009, Fax: +44 1539 729539, Email: [email protected].
Seam Lase creates hermetic seal Raptor Technology of New Baltimore, Michigan, USA, has announced positive test results for containers welded by its Seam Lase process, which is described as an innovative, patented method for joining materials such as aluminium and steel that are used to make packaging containers. The non-contact joining method offers advantages over traditional mechanical seaming, says the company. These include reduced material usage, by eradicating the need for a double seam; elimination of the costly lid gasket compound, by inherently providing a hermetic seal; and production flexibility, by accommodating a number of container sizes without timeconsuming tooling changeovers. Raptor Technology was challenged to prove that its process did
not adversely affect packaged contents. Seam Lase-welded aluminium beverage cans were analyzed with gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry. The results were then compared with those of cans that were seamed mechanically. The Seam Lase cans were found to contain very low levels of organic compounds, similar to those found in the mechanically seamed cans. According to the company, the laser welding process produced no significant contaminants, and in all cases, the levels of organic compounds were several orders of magnitude less than threshold limit values. Commercial applications are wide and varied in the packaging community says Raptor, which is seeking business partners to expand the technology throughout the can, container and packaging industry. For more information, contact: Raptor Technology Inc, 51747 Baker Road, New Baltimore, MI 48047, USA. Tel: & Fax: +1-586-716-9522; Email: [email protected].
Sika Automotive introduces SikaFoam US-based Sika Automotive has added SikaFoam to its automotive product line. The material is a two-component, rigid polyurethane, pumpable system that is used to fill body cavities. Depending on the density, SikaFoam can be used for acoustic and/or structural benefits. It is able to provide a complete seal against water, dust and noise. Structural benefits include crash and side impact, roof crush/rollover protection and joint stiffness. For more information, contact: Sika Corp, 201 Polito Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071, USA. Tel: +1 201 933 8800, Fax: +1 201 804 1076.
Or contact: Sika AG, Zugerstrasse 50, CH-6341 Baar, Switzerland. Tel: +41 41 768 6800, Fax: +41 41 768 6850.
Sealing Technology August 2002