An original equipment manufacturer are using AKO Pinch Valves as vital parts to some of their machinery. The machines are used for filling sacks or tubs, from 1kg up to 25kg.
The product feeds into the top of the machine and sits in a chamber. The chamber is pressurised with air from the bottom, while the Pinch Valve is normally closed. The Pinch Valve is then opened pneumatically using compressed air, and the product passes through it at 6 BAR, filling the sacks or tubs.
VF model, air operated, aluminium body, aluminium flanges PN10/16 with mild steel bushing contact parts, natural rubber sleeve.
Sack or tub filling is an industry standard in this type of sand/cement/powder industry, and users are picking up on the fact that a Pinch Valve for sack filling is more reliable than a slide valve, butterfly valve or ball valve for example.
Product: Powders, Sand, Cement, Resins
Temperature: Ambient
Pressure: 6 BAR
Position of Valve: Horizontal
Pinch Valve for sack filling is normally closed.
Amount of cycles per day: Between 2400-7200 a day depending on the productivity.
Amount of Air available to close the Pinch Valve: 6 BAR, but advised by AKO to reduce to 3 BAR for a longer service life of the sleeve.
The Natural Rubber sleeve (M065.03X) inside the Pinch Valves tends to last between 6 months to 1 year in these applications. Only 2-2.5 BAR pressure above the line pressure is required to fully shut off the valve. Since this company were using 3 BAR over the required amount, we expect the lifetime of the sleeves to last a lot longer now that we have advised that the control pressure should be reduced.
Solenoid Valves and Regulators are also used on these sack/tub filling machines.
To view more examples of industries where specific media is successfully conveyed through Pinch Valves, please see Pinch Valve Applications.
