Customised Solutions for Modular Design

A manufacturer of automation solutions for industries including Automotive, Battery Production, Food, Pharma & more, have been using Pinch Valves for specific customer applications for a few years. Their manufactured equipment ranges from Suction Cups to Vacuum Conveyors & Vacuum Pumps, Robot EOAT & more.

In this case study we look at a Pinch Valve from AKO UK installed at one of the OEM’s customer sites. The customer is a large engineering provider/system integrator, and is using a Vacuum Conveyor as a suction-based machine that uses air pressure to transport materials through an enclosed pipeline.

How the Vacuum Conveyor Works

Powder, grains or granules are carried from the feed-point through the Air Carrying Unit and the conveying line to the container when the bottom valve is closed. When the conveyor is full, the top sensor is activated, stopping the pump and opening the bottom valve. The material is discharged at the same time as a shock of compressed air cleans the filter. The bottom level sensor is deactivated, closing the bottom valve and starting the pump. And so the next conveying cycle begins!

The Pinch Valve, installed below the system, transports the molecular sieve (balls approx. 1.5mm in diameter) discharged through gravity, and is used to dose and regulate the amount of product being discharged. The 100% fully open passage of the Pinch Valve for molecular sieve allows the media to flow freely without restrictions and never causes any dead spots or blockages.

The Pinch Valve is used to resolve the problem of the conveyor dumping multiple kilos at once in a dosing application. The Pinch Valve can stop the transfer when a specific weight is reached, leaving excess material in an intermediate hopper instead.

valve for molecular sieve on vacuum conveyor

Without the Pinch Valve, the end user could be upwards of 10kg over the limit.

Rubber Valve VMC40.03X.50T.50 from AKO
Pinch Valve used within this application: VMCX40.03LF.50T.50

VMC series, EX approved, Natural Rubber Conductive Sleeve, Stainless Steel body, Stainless Steel Tri-Clamp end connections, air operated.

When using a vacuum conveyor you are working with an enclosed system where no foreign material will be mixed in and no product will fall off the sides into the surrounding area. It is also a very gentle way of transporting the product, meaning that the product will be intact throughout the whole transportation process and will not be damaged. The velocity is adjusted depending on the fragility of the product – eliminating product scrap.

The vacuum conveyors are ideal for additive manufacturing.

Pinch Valve Preferred over Butterfly Valve

The media passing through the Pinch Valve is a molecular sieve, at gravity pressure, and ambient temperature. To shut off the valve, 6 BAR of compressed air pressure is used. The valve regulates the flow into a hopper. It is a key component to the Vacuum Conveyor, being used to limit and stop material discharging from the vacuum conveyor for dosing. Furthermore, the valve is restricting and regulating the system discharge under gravity. A solenoid valve is used to allow PLC control.

The OEM’s vacuum conveyors have very few moving parts, so that the service and maintenance cost is kept at a very low level without needing to compromise on the reliability of the system. This is one of the important reasons why a Pinch Valve was selected for this equipment. As well as the Pinch Valve having minimal parts to replace (only the rubber sleeve), it does not need to be removed for cleaning, it is CIP and SIP capable, resulting in reduced downtime.

The Applications Engineer at the OEM company told us at AKO UK that they find a Pinch Valve has a better flow when open, compared to a Butterfly Valve.

valve for molecular sieve on vacuum conveyor

Experts in Valves for Molecular Sieve in Vacuum Conveyors

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