- Email: [email protected]
Wireless unit transmits leak detection data to the desktop
NEWS
Kaco engineers reduced-friction sealing system
BOB’S BIT
I
K
aco GmbH + Co Kg has engineered a friction-reducing sealing system. Called Fred – where the ‘‘F’’ in the acronym stands for friction and ‘‘red’’ for reduced – it is designed to be used in truck engines. The mechanical efficiency of drive-unit components is a point of focus in the development of engines and drive-trains. The company says that it is focusing on ways of further developing the sealing system for its application in vehicles.
Contact: Kaco GmbH + Co Kg, Rosenbergstrasse 22, D-74072 Heilbronn, Germany. Tel: +49 7131 6360, Fax: +49 7131 636386, Web: www.kaco.de.
Wireless unit transmits leak detection data to the desktop
H
alma Water Management is now offering the PermaNet system, a wireless unit that transmits leak detection data, collected from Permalog+ loggers, directly to an office computer via network radio or an SMS repeater. The loggers ‘listen’ for the noise made by water leaking from pipes and when a potential leak is detected they enter an alarm state and transmit a radio signal to indicate a ‘‘leak’’ condition. Loggers can be quickly deployed and used repeatedly, with no disruption to the surrounding area or to the water supply, and the precise location of each logger can be recorded as it is put into the ground by GPS mapping software. Each logger is immersion-tested to IP68, enabling it to operate continuously, even in flooded chambers. They are powered by low-cost, replaceable batteries. The location and leak status of each logger is displayed directly and accurately on a map of the area, with further information available at the click of a button.
Contact: Halma Water Management, Ty Coch House, Llantarnam Park Way, Cwmbran NP44 3AW, UK. Tel: +44 1633 489 479, Fax: +44 1633 877 857, Email: [email protected], Web: www.hwm-water.com.
Editor’s comment: This appears to be aimed predominantly at the management of water mains, but it could be of potential interest to plant operators.
May 2010
The Permalog+ instrument can now transmit leak detection data directly to a desktop computer using the PermaNet wireless system.
Guide helps aerospace engineers specify seals
T
relleborg Sealing Solutions has introduced a new publication on designing sealing systems for aerospace applications. The ‘Aerospace Product Catalog and Engineering Guide’ includes details of services, standards, specially developed materials and industry-specific sealing products, along with guidance on hardware and installation procedures. It incorporates numerous engineering drawings and is designed to be easy-to-use with a lot of practical information, says the company. ‘This is more of an engineering guide than a catalogue,’ commented Torben Andersen, who heads up global aerospace business development. ‘The publication has been a couple of years in the making and involved a large number of our company’s aerospace experts. Seeing the finished version, I think it has been well worth all the hard work and I am sure that it will make the life of aerospace engineers easier when they are specifying seals.’
Contact: Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, Global Marketing & Communications, Handwerkstrasse 5–7, D-70565 Stuttgart, Germany. Tel: +49 711 78640, Fax: +49 711 7864 344, Email: [email protected], Web: www.tss.trelleborg.com.
Spring-energised seal extends service life of syringe pumps
T
relleborg Sealing Solutions has been working with TriContinent Scientific on a way of sealing syringe pumps that avoids premature seal failure and eliminates instrument down time.
f you have not already seen the back page of this issue, we have a news item reporting the publication of a new guide from the European Sealing Association (ESA). This guide, aimed at fault diagnosis – and through that, improved future reliability – of elastomer seals is the result of a collaborative effort by the members of the ESA Elastomer and Polymeric Seals Division that has lasted some two years. It is certainly one of the most thorough guides I have seen and it has benefited from a sensible use of computer-based techniques by being interactive. This makes it easy and convenient to use. A further significant factor is that it is produced by the seal manufacturing industry in an attempt to promote improved seal reliability. The more astute companies realise that if a customer experiences repeated seal problems, the result may be loss of sales to a competitor, but of concern to the whole industry is that it may persuade that customer to investigate an approach or technology that can eliminate seals altogether. The pump industry has experience of this with the seal-less pump debate. There is a thought that perhaps I should be concerned about this new publication – as a competitor for sealing handbooks, courses and the odd bit of consultancy. But, my current experience is that there are enough questions, and requirements for reliability enhancements, to keep plenty of us busy. As we have mentioned before, it is often a requirement for a reliable seal that can prevent a technology progressing. At the time of writing, I am at various stages of involvement with three very different applications where achieving a suitable seal is a considerable stumbling block. These vary from high-value one-off equipment through commercial manufacturing to a low-cost, almost disposable item, which still presents a considerable sealing challenge. Another is a good technical idea that has been around for a long time, but has failed to make much market penetration because it depends on some high-integrity dynamic sealing. And the third is, perhaps, even more challenging, and may well be beyond any sensible, commercial seal’s capability. In this case, it could be a matter of adopting an alternative technology to achieve the required objective using a process that will depend on rather more benign sealing duties. But, if the customer achieves the required objectives, future developments should create further challenges. Bob Flitney
Sealing Technology
3
Kaco engineers reduced-friction sealing system
BOB’S BIT
I
K
aco GmbH + Co Kg has engineered a friction-reducing sealing system. Called Fred – where the ‘‘F’’ in the acronym stands for friction and ‘‘red’’ for reduced – it is designed to be used in truck engines. The mechanical efficiency of drive-unit components is a point of focus in the development of engines and drive-trains. The company says that it is focusing on ways of further developing the sealing system for its application in vehicles.
Contact: Kaco GmbH + Co Kg, Rosenbergstrasse 22, D-74072 Heilbronn, Germany. Tel: +49 7131 6360, Fax: +49 7131 636386, Web: www.kaco.de.
Wireless unit transmits leak detection data to the desktop
H
alma Water Management is now offering the PermaNet system, a wireless unit that transmits leak detection data, collected from Permalog+ loggers, directly to an office computer via network radio or an SMS repeater. The loggers ‘listen’ for the noise made by water leaking from pipes and when a potential leak is detected they enter an alarm state and transmit a radio signal to indicate a ‘‘leak’’ condition. Loggers can be quickly deployed and used repeatedly, with no disruption to the surrounding area or to the water supply, and the precise location of each logger can be recorded as it is put into the ground by GPS mapping software. Each logger is immersion-tested to IP68, enabling it to operate continuously, even in flooded chambers. They are powered by low-cost, replaceable batteries. The location and leak status of each logger is displayed directly and accurately on a map of the area, with further information available at the click of a button.
Contact: Halma Water Management, Ty Coch House, Llantarnam Park Way, Cwmbran NP44 3AW, UK. Tel: +44 1633 489 479, Fax: +44 1633 877 857, Email: [email protected], Web: www.hwm-water.com.
Editor’s comment: This appears to be aimed predominantly at the management of water mains, but it could be of potential interest to plant operators.
May 2010
The Permalog+ instrument can now transmit leak detection data directly to a desktop computer using the PermaNet wireless system.
Guide helps aerospace engineers specify seals
T
relleborg Sealing Solutions has introduced a new publication on designing sealing systems for aerospace applications. The ‘Aerospace Product Catalog and Engineering Guide’ includes details of services, standards, specially developed materials and industry-specific sealing products, along with guidance on hardware and installation procedures. It incorporates numerous engineering drawings and is designed to be easy-to-use with a lot of practical information, says the company. ‘This is more of an engineering guide than a catalogue,’ commented Torben Andersen, who heads up global aerospace business development. ‘The publication has been a couple of years in the making and involved a large number of our company’s aerospace experts. Seeing the finished version, I think it has been well worth all the hard work and I am sure that it will make the life of aerospace engineers easier when they are specifying seals.’
Contact: Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, Global Marketing & Communications, Handwerkstrasse 5–7, D-70565 Stuttgart, Germany. Tel: +49 711 78640, Fax: +49 711 7864 344, Email: [email protected], Web: www.tss.trelleborg.com.
Spring-energised seal extends service life of syringe pumps
T
relleborg Sealing Solutions has been working with TriContinent Scientific on a way of sealing syringe pumps that avoids premature seal failure and eliminates instrument down time.
f you have not already seen the back page of this issue, we have a news item reporting the publication of a new guide from the European Sealing Association (ESA). This guide, aimed at fault diagnosis – and through that, improved future reliability – of elastomer seals is the result of a collaborative effort by the members of the ESA Elastomer and Polymeric Seals Division that has lasted some two years. It is certainly one of the most thorough guides I have seen and it has benefited from a sensible use of computer-based techniques by being interactive. This makes it easy and convenient to use. A further significant factor is that it is produced by the seal manufacturing industry in an attempt to promote improved seal reliability. The more astute companies realise that if a customer experiences repeated seal problems, the result may be loss of sales to a competitor, but of concern to the whole industry is that it may persuade that customer to investigate an approach or technology that can eliminate seals altogether. The pump industry has experience of this with the seal-less pump debate. There is a thought that perhaps I should be concerned about this new publication – as a competitor for sealing handbooks, courses and the odd bit of consultancy. But, my current experience is that there are enough questions, and requirements for reliability enhancements, to keep plenty of us busy. As we have mentioned before, it is often a requirement for a reliable seal that can prevent a technology progressing. At the time of writing, I am at various stages of involvement with three very different applications where achieving a suitable seal is a considerable stumbling block. These vary from high-value one-off equipment through commercial manufacturing to a low-cost, almost disposable item, which still presents a considerable sealing challenge. Another is a good technical idea that has been around for a long time, but has failed to make much market penetration because it depends on some high-integrity dynamic sealing. And the third is, perhaps, even more challenging, and may well be beyond any sensible, commercial seal’s capability. In this case, it could be a matter of adopting an alternative technology to achieve the required objective using a process that will depend on rather more benign sealing duties. But, if the customer achieves the required objectives, future developments should create further challenges. Bob Flitney
Sealing Technology
3