A profile cutting shop based in the UK, also carrying out precision machining, welding & fabrication are using AKO’s compact and lightweight plastic Pinch Valve with screwed BSP end connections.
The valve is used on an abrasive feed for a waterjet cutting machine.
The garnet (a group of silicate minerals) is passing through the VMP type Pinch Valve at 2 – 2.5 BAR and is ambient temperature. The Pinch Valve is positioned below a hopper, and is installed in the normally open position. It is used to regulate the flow of Garnet to the cutting head. The number of cycles that the Pinch Valve performs per day varies due to the work load. There is no degree of vacuum used within this application, and 6 BAR is being used to shut off the Pinch Valve.
VMP model, air operated, POM body, POM BSP internal thread end connections, natural rubber sleeve.
The company have been using the VMP plastic Pinch Valve for garnet for 4 years. An AKO Pinch Valve was supplied as a standard fitment with their new waterjet machine and they have maintained it ever since.
Depending on their workload, the rubber sleeve inside the valve for garnet is replaced every 4-6 months within this particular application.
The profile cutting company are satisfied with the performance of the Pinch Valve overall, and are going to look into the option of the VMC model which will be more suitable for the abrasive application.
