Good connections Eisele Pneumatics

Eisele Pneumatics GmbH & C KG focuses on the development and manufacture of high-quality connection components and related products. Abigail Saltmarsh looks at some of its latest developments.

GOOD CONNECTIONS

From its site in Waiblingen, Germany, Eisele Pneumatics GmbH & C KG prides itself on its ability to respond quickly to its customers’ needs. The company focuses on the development and manufacture of high-quality connection components and related products, explains managing director Thomas Maier.

With a wide range of more than 5000 catalogue items, and around 2000 customised solutions, its ability to find a solution is second to none, and its response times are rapid. New products and solutions are launched on a rolling basis and there is also an emphasis on high quality.

Eisele’s BasicLine includes approximately 3500 standardised connection components made of high-quality materials. This is a complete product range of threaded connections, plug-and-socket connections, matching hoses, as well as an extensive range of accessories. The BasicLine offers metal connections made from anodised aluminium, brass, nickelplated brass, and stainless steel.

“We are very reactive and responsive,” says Mr Maier. “We have large storage facilities and, because of our ability to make quick changes to our existing products, our response time from initial discussion of a change through to a delivery can be as short as six weeks.” A wide range

The company’s product spectrum ranges from catalogue programmes, such as pneumatic or cooling water in areas like paint processing or food production, through to an extensive programme for multiple couplings, which integrates various single connections in one interface.

In addition to BasicLine, Eisele also offers its PipingLine, MultiLine and FreeLine. FreeLine is used for dead zone-free connections and is made of high-quality stainless steel; it is ideal for the safe transport of high-end products such as paints, foods or pharmaceuticals.

“We develop and manufacture products and solutions that fall into six different product lines,” Mr Maier explains. “Two of these, LiquidLine and InoxLine, hold particular potential for us in the future. At the moment, they represent just 15 per cent of our production but in the future we hope to increase that percentage quite significantly.”

Expanding LiquidLine

Eisele has recently expanded its LiquidLine to include coolant connections for high flow rates. Coolant circuits place special requirements on the connections and lines used, and to meet these requirements the company offers its special LiquidLine range for coolants, with optimised connections in a full range of sizes and time-proven Eisele quality.

Now this product line includes two new components for extra high flow capacities. The company has launched two energyoptimised coolant connections that exceed the outstanding flow rates of the previous LiquidLine connections by an additional 15 to 20 per-cent. In addition to the existing 45o and 90o angle connections, Eisele now offers a proven push- in connection combined with a 45o or a 90o angle piece made of copper pipe.

“The two new coolant connections are ideal for high-performance applications in which it is necessary to achieve the maximum possible flow capacity. They are therefore the perfect addition and enhancement to the existing LiquidLine,” says Mr Maier.

Connecting with InoxLine

With the increasing requirements of the process industry for quality, reliability and leak resistance, solutions for environments with high hygiene standards are becoming ever more important. Eisele has responded to this development with stainless steel connections from the InoxLine.

“We have a very comprehensive range made out of stainless steel,” he adds. “This requires very sophisticated machining and the ability to be cleaned to an extremely high level.”

Within this product range, connections 17 and 17A offer a large assortment of different connecting shapes, made from high-quality stainless steels for pneumatic applications, for example in the food or pharmaceutical industries. Series 17 includes connections with a release sleeve. Series 17A is similar – the connections are equipped with two seals, which make them ideal for applications with special sealing requirements and for applications with high pressures or for use with fluids.

Reliable cleaning

Also under the InoxLine brand is the 3800 series. These products provide joint or gap-free connections in media circuits where no residue

can be tolerated in the hose system. Their design allows safe and reliable internal cleaning of the lines by flushing before changing media.

“The 3800 series is also ideal for the food and pharmaceutical industries, since it is also suitable for internal sterilisation. Residue can accumulate in corners, edges and gaps of conventional hoses and pipes, where it is not easily removed during cleaning,” he says. “In the handling of foods and pharmaceuticals and in the chemical industry, however, maximum hygiene is necessary, since even minimal mixing can make entire production batches unusable. Thanks to the joint-free design of the InoxLine 3800 it is not necessary to disassemble systems for cleaning.”

Looking to the future

The plan for the future, says Mr Maier, is to continue to develop pioneering products such as these. The company’s activities are largely based in Germany at the moment but some export to the USA takes place and there are plans to develop business in Asia.

“I am looking to increase our export levels significantly over the coming years. I would like to see a rise in this area of about 10 per cent per year,” he says.

“I do anticipate substantial growth from our new products, particularly InoxLine and LiquidLine. We see great potential in these areas.” n