One of the largest sheet metal fabrication service companies in the UK work from multiple sites across the country, operating in many industries including Aerospace and Defense, Telecommunications, EV, Renewable Energy, Automotive and Food Processing.
As well as custom metal fabrication, their extensive capabilities include CAD design and value engineering, laser cutting, CNC punching, folding, CNC turning and machining, welding, metal finishing and product assembly.
Many of the metal sheets that are fabricated are powder coated on site. Powder coating provides a durable, attractive and even finish to metal surfaces. Powder coating is an essential part of the company’s complete metal manufacturing solution, therefore they require a reliable valve solution to control the powder flow.
There are 36 Pinch Valves from AKO UK installed around this powder coating plant. The powdered paint passing through the valves on the powder coating machines is ambient in temperature, and travels through the pipelines at an air pressure between 1-4 bar. To close the valves, 6.5 bar compressed air pressure is applied through the inlet on the side of the valves to deflate the rubber sleeve.
The valves remain closed unless allowing powder through, but they alternate constantly with part detection. The spray guns stop and start, depending on when they are spraying around gaps in products, etc.
VMP model, air operated, POM body, POM BSP intrnal thread connections, natural rubber sleeve.
The sheet metal fabrication company have been using Pinch Valves on this plant for 15+ years. They were already supplied with the powder coating plant, and no issues have ever occurred, so they have remained in reliable operation.
The valves are checked every 3 months. Some are replaced every 6 months as preventative measures (but not usually required). The sleeves are replaced as and when needed, but very rarely. Some are changed in high usage areas as preventative measures. The Maintenance Engineer told us at AKO UK that he is very satisfied with the Pinch Valves for this paint plant.
There is future potential for more Pinch Valves at this site if they acquire a new powder coating booth, but the valves from AKO UK will already be integrated as AKO UK is the preferred supplier of the original equipment manufacturer.
