BPMA News February 2017

NEWS

PUMP INDUSTRY FEBRUARY 2017

Welcome to the first of this year’s BPMA PUMP INDUSTRY NEWS and yes, we have changed our name.

We felt that it was time to ‘broaden our horizon’ by bringing a greater coverage to you. This issue is just the start and over the year our objective is to bring you a wider content.

A variety of disciplines, services and product types are embraced within the pumping world, and in due course we hope to bring more articles, information and press material to your attention from our members and their varied applications.

HEADLINES for this issue are: * You can still enter for our Annual Golf Day – see page 2 * We say hello to 7 new member – see page 3 * Take a look at our Solutions Forum – Pages 4 & 5 * Keep up to date with industry legislation – see pages 6 & 7 * Informative Editorial articles plenty of news from our members....

see pages 13 & 14 and of course

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BPMA NEWS

BPMA TRAINING

FOREWORD “As this is the first BPMA Pump Industry News of 2017 may I wish you all a healthy and prosperous year ahead.

In 2016 you may remember that the BPMA celebrated its 75 th year and did so in style with its Gala Dinner in October which proved to be the perfect way to commemorate such an achievement with many past BPMA presidents and distinguished guests attending.

Looking into the future who knows what opportunities or issues 2017 could bring for us all with Donald Trump now the USA president and the UK choosing to leave the European Union. One thing I am confident of is that the BPMA will continue to support all its members whether they sell products to the UK , to Europe or to the rest of the world.”

Regards, Peter Reynolds BPMA President

BPMA’S ANNUAL GOLF DAY FOR 2017 Will be held at Heythrop Park Resort, Oxfordshire - Thursday 25th May 2017

City & Guilds BPMA Competency Electrical Course (3 Day) NEXT DATE: 7 - 9 March 2017 This three-day course is specifically designed to assist non-electrical employees prepare themselves for cross trade working, and to help companies comply with the requirements of current legislation regarding the use of such people for minor electrical tasks.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: After completing the course, students should be able to: • Recognise safe working practices (related to electricity in the workplace) • Work within the requirements of current electrical legislation (relating to topics covered) •Understand the fundamental principles of electrical energy • Perform routine electrical tasks at a basic level • Perform safe isolation of electrical circuits • Enhance their workplace skills • Relate to electrical circuit diagrams COURSE COSTS This is a Three day course held at our offices in West Bromwich and the total cost of the course including notes, buffet lunch on all three days and a certificate is £495 + VAT per delegate per course Email s.smith@bpma.org.uk for booking form

TRAINING IN 2017 WITH BPMA

Participants can look forward to playing the Bainbridge Course at Heythrop Park which was redesigned in 2009 by Tom MacKenzie the golf course architect responsible for many Open Championship venues.

The 7088-yard par 72 course bweaves throughout the beautiful 440 acre Heythrop estate and provides the perfectnbchallenge for golfers of all abilities The 18 hole course meanders over ridges and through valleys that are studded with ancient woodland, lakes, and streams. The course is quintessentially English and hasnseveral signature holes notably the 6th hole where the green nestles beside a fishing lake, the 14th which sweeps leftwards around an ancient woodland and the closing hole which is straight as a die and has the impressive mansion house as its backdrop.

Located 12 miles north of Oxford just outside Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds, Heythrop Park is a 90 minute drive time of London and the Midlands, making it very accessible indeed.

BPMA GOLF DAY ITINERARY Tea, Coffee & Bacon Rolls at Registration 18 Hole Texas Scramble Team Competition – Bainbridge Course Buggies Individual Prizes Prize Giving Dinner

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Overnight Accommodation Breakfast on day of Departure Only £199 Per Player + VAT If you are Interested in entering a team (4 players); Contact: Steve Smith E-mail: s.smith@bpma.org.Uk

BPMA offer a selection of five traditional lecturebased courses aimed at giving delegates the knowledge they need to perform their job role efficiently. Delegates are free to choose any course or combination of courses, however, BPMA recommend delegates should take the Pumping Fundamentals course before then selecting any one of the following courses to best enhance their knowledge selecting any one of the following courses to best enhance their knowledge.

2017 DATES 3 April Module One - Pumping Fundamentals 4 April Module Two - Pump Selection 5 June Module One - Pumping Fundamentals 6 June Module Three - Pump Testing 25 Sept. Module One - Pumping Fundamentals 26 Sept. Module Four - Pump Systems 6 Nov. Module One - Pumping Fundamentals 7 Nov. Module Two - Pump Selection Subject to the successful completion of an assessment, each delegate with receive a BPMA Certificate for each module attended. Each course is limited to 12 places, if you require specific dates, please book early COURSE COSTS For General Courses (held at the National Metalforming Centre, West Bromwich) – £300.00 + VAT per delegate per course – £250.00 for BPMA Members Email s.smith@bpma.org.uk for booking form

BPMA NEWS

NEW MEMBERS A time of growth...

It is said that ‘Time & Tide waits for no man’ and so it does, there is no good to stand around and just hope that what you want will arrive at your door, unless of course you are dressed in gold braid, wearing a top hat and standing outside hotels such as the Savoy or Ritz!!!

Clearly the folk at the BPMA are no such ‘stand abouts’, for over the last few months they have traversed to and fro to near- by Droitwich, Alton in Hampshire, down the road to Market Harborough, onto Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex, the most maligned county in the UK, opened a door in neighbourly Halesown, across to Sheffield in South Yorkshire, and even down to Lands End, well Truro really, but what’s thirty miles..

And why was it all about, Camping, Car Rallying, Holidaying, visiting friends & relations? – no, none of that, it was all in pursuit of gaining new memberships for the association-what resolution!!!

And here’s an introduction to these most welcomed new members - why not ‘check them out on our website: www.bpma.org.uk ALTON PUMPS - HPC PUMPS LIMITED Whatever type of pump you require; Based in Hampshire, Alto Pumps have the skills, knowledge and products to complete the job to the highest standards.

They have combined experience of more than 80 years in the pumping industry and are the UK and Caribbean division of HCP Pump Manufacturing Co. Ltd., supplying throughout the UK, Europe, the former eastern bloc and the Caribbean. They can also supply many other leading manufacturers products, such as; Xylem, Flygt, ABS, KSB, Wilo, Lowara. HCP water pumps are also fully compatible with Xylem, Flygt, Tsurumi and many other manufacturers guide rail systems.

ELECTRO-MECHANICAL INFORMATION RESOURCE - EMIR Solutions in IT have been p r o v i d i n g specialist software and I.T. solutions for the Electronic and Electro-Mechanical repair, sales and service industry for over 20 years, since the creation of our EMIR product back in 1994.

Their EMIR software has grown to have some 2,000 users across 3 continents, during this period, from the UK, Ireland, Dubai, South Africa and Asia, and have market leading products in this, their only, target sector.

Housed in Market Harborough, they pride themselves on providing a quality service at each stage of your order, from Sales through to Specification, Development [if necessary], Testing, Training and Implementation.

We provide telephone and email support all year round, and we are here to advise and help you with all I.T. matters.

HAYLEY GROUP LIMITED

Originally established in 1976 under the name Hayley Bearings Ltd and, as the name implies, they specialised in bearing sales. Their first shop opened its doors in Blackheath, West Midlands; but due to the company’s immediate success, they soon found themselves relocating to larger premises in Halesowen, swiftly established itself as a major player in the engineering market and, owing to its success and expanding product

lines, the name was changed to Hayley Group Limited.

To this day, we continue to expand to meet the needs of our customers and are now one of the fastest growing engineering inventory suppliers in the UK. Established for 40 years, the company presently has over 40 branches in the UK and one in the Czech Republic.

and accurate pump performance data. Reducing energy consumption and the associated wholelife cost of pumping systems is as important to us today as it is to our growing customer base.

Around the world our customer base grows every year. We are proud to serve the water industry across three continents. You can find us in Truro, Cornwall.

KTR COUPLINGS LIMITED KTR, who’s home is in Sheffield, is a global coupling manufacturer with over 50 years experience providing power transmission products for a wide range of energy sector applications including generator sets, pumps, and compressors.

KTR manufactures a range of flexible flange couplings for diesel flywheel applications - up to 39,000 Nm nominal torque as standard, covering SAE flywheels 6 ½ to 24” – as well as a range of high speed shaft-to-shaft couplings suited towards pump and compressor applications. KTR also manufacture a standard range of OAC oil/air blast coolers, and bespoke combination coolers capable of simultaneously cooling oil, air, water, or fuel within one unit.

With a philosophy based around innovation and customer cooperation, KTR offers a global sales and service network supported by over 20 subsidiary country locations, numerous international sales partners and manufacturing sites in Germany, India, Brazil, China and the United States

TEC MOTORS LIMITED

RIVENTA LIMITED

WE HELP WATER AND W A S T E W AT E R COMPANIES TO MEASURE PUMP EFFICIENCY

Our aims are: • To unlock the potential at pumping stations and help our customers to meet network demand at least cost • To achieve significant reductions in energy and emissions and boost performance at each station and network where we are involved •To help our customers to know where to invest in their plants to meet strategic targets and drive greater profit We know that pump owners around the world are continually under increasing pressure to maximise the realisable benefit of reliable, dependable

TEC Motors will celebrate their 10 year anniversary in 2016 !!!

Since the companies formation in 2006 TEC have rapidly become the largest independent stockist of electric motors in the UK. The opening of TEC Scotland and completion of a purpose-built large frame motor modification and gearbox assembly area increases TEC’s works area to over 65,000 square feet.

The ongoing strategy to provide a stock location in every industrial area of the UK continues to ensure TEC are at the forefront when it comes to 24/7 availability of power transmission products.

Stationed at Droitwich, TEC is dedicated to achieving growth by investment in our team, products, stock, and service, and if you are looking for a Power Transmission Supplier with a dedicated team, integrity and reliability we are sure you will not be disappointed.

TRIARK PUMPS LTD

Localised in Burnham-onCrouch and established in 1984, Triark is one of the leading suppliers of air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps in the UK. However, we strive to be more than just a trusted supplier of pumps and spares.

Having built up unrivalled expertise over the decades, we are keen to advise and support our customers in finding the best product for the job.

While we do offer the lowest prices, we are keen to ensure your pumps ensure safety and savings by being the most productive and robust over time.

Ultimately we aim to make dealing with us simple, cost effective and above all, mutually beneficial.

We are not tied to any one manufacturer, so we are able to give you the right pump and parts for your application. Our friendly and knowledged team are standing by and eager to help in whatever way we can.

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QUESTION & ANSWER

SOLUTION The BPMA Technical Committee are often posed with some very interesting – and often fundamental questions from industrial pump users. While many of these Questions and Answers are generic, we have decided to host a regular Solutions Section within the BPMA News. Our first question is very common, and we have selected an answer from Shaun Hampson, who is Site General Manager of the Flowserve Manchester Quick Response Centre.

Question: What is the meaning of NPSH; how important is it to a centrifugal pump, what is the best way to calculate it, and which pump should I use if I have very Low NPSH? ANSWER: NPSH is a very commonly used acronym within the Pump Industry and it stands for Net Positive Suction Head. NPSH is a vital element of centrifugal pump selection because it represents the adequacy of liquid feed relative to the need of a Pump. Starving the suction of a pump with poorly available NPSH can rapidly cause cavitation damage to occur. NPSH is relatively simple to calculate, but can have its challenges where liquids approach their boiling point (Vapour Pressure), there are long torturous suction pipe-lines, or the wrong pump is being used.

There are four parts to consider when answering this seemingly simple question: (1) Cavitation, which is a very aggressive form of damage and enforces the need to understand NPSH, (2) Pressure Head in metres, versus conventional Pressure like bar, psi, Pascals, etc, (3) Calculating NPSH available, and (4) Special focus when pumping LPG and Liquids near to their Boiling Point.

CAVITATION: In broad terms, Cavitation starts with the partial evaporation of the liquid because it is being sucked hard, in a non-linear, and turbulent environment. As its vapour pressure is compromised, it starts to evaporate into entrained pockets of vapour.

These tiny pockets of vapour enter the pump impeller, in their thousands, but are condensed as the surrounding fluid is internally pressurised toward the discharge.

Bubbles collapsing in the vicinity of the impeller ignite damage, as surrounding liquid rapidly fills each of these (thousands) little voids. The impeller material acts as the backstop to liquid entering these cavities at supersonic speeds and the result is impact erosion known as cavitation damage.

Cavitation can destroy, even, hard material pumps in very short time scales. Consequently, it is vital to protect against cavitation by making sure that the user ensures that there is adequate NPSH available – NPSH(a) – from within the pumping system.

The specifier needs to distinguish between NPSH required for the pump and the NPSH available from his/her application. NPSH required by the pump is commonly known as NPSH(r) and this information is provided by the manufacturer. NPSH available is termed NPSH(a) and needs to be calculated from the system characteristics….

Basically, there should be more NPSH(a) than NPSH(r) plus a reasonable “safety” margin in which to account for entrained liquid impurities which may distort its vapour pressure.

PRESSURE HEAD: Before going into the assessment of NPSH, itself, lets just clarify the term Pressure “Head” and why we use it rather than conventional Pressure like Bar, PSI, Pascals, or kg/m2 etc... The reason behind this lies

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with conventional pressure being influenced by liquid density.

Where: P = Pressure (Pa) r = Density (kg/m3) g = Gravity (9.81 m/s2) h = Liquid column height above its datum (m)

Centrifugal pumps handle all types of liquids - with different Densities - and therefore generating differing pressures.

Rather than a manufacturer creating thousands of Pump Selection Curves for an infinite variety of density options, it is standard practise to employ “Head” – A mere column of liquid expressed in metres which doesn’t change. Head is the height of liquid which will be generated above the pump centre when an impeller of given diameter is spinning at a given speed. The (conventional) pressure measurement, taken at the pump discharge, will be different with different liquid densities.

NPSH(A) CALCULATION: The clue to understanding NPSH (Net Positive Suction Head), lies is the first term “Net” – the total positive suction head once all plusses and minuses have been “netted off”.

There are FOUR suction pressure variables needed to calculate NPSH(a)…

Two are always negative! They simply need to be added together and are easy to remember: 1. Static Height of liquid above – or below (if suction lift) – the pump. This can be positive or negative.

2. Vapour pressure of the liquid. This must be REMOVED and is therefore always negative.

3. Pipework & valve losses upstream of the pump, reaching to the liquid source, and is always negative.

4. Atmospheric pressure head acting on the liquid surface. While this pressure measurement is in its Absolute form, it is always positive regardless of any possible suction vessel vacuum applications.

While we are using Head, we need to get all units consistent. This means converting the Surrounding Pressure (p) and Vapour Pressure (Vp) from millibar to metres.

Example: Pumping water at 50oC with flooded suction (positive) of height of 5m.

(1) Static Height: This is 5m (2) Vapour pressure: At 50oC, the vapour pressure of water is 0.12335 bar. In the above formulae, this gives,

(3) Pipe-work losses. While this is another topic in itself, we shall use an assumption of 0.5m.

Those readers wishing to know

QUESTION & ANSWER

NS FORUM

YOUR PUMPING QUESTIONS ANSWERED more about this toipic can contact the author for a reference guide book.

(4) Surrounding Pressure: We will take atmospheric pressure, as is usual with an open vessel. Importantly, this could be much lower, especially in the chemical markets, while the vessel is under vacuum.

Assuming 1.014 bara – given from the barometer.

NPSH(a) = 1-2-3+4 = 5m - 1.27m – 0.5m + 10.46m = 13.69m available.

If we deduct 0.5m for safety margin, we are now looking for a pump with NPSH(r) of less than 13.19m at the duty point on the pump curve. Out of interest, most CONVENTIONAL end-suction liquid centrifugal pumps are in the region of 1-5m and therefore suitable for this application.

NPSH WITH LIQUID PETROLEUM GASSES (LPG). Pumping LPG follows the same characteristics as any liquid being transferred at its own boiling point.

Like boiling water at 100oC, it’s Vapour Pressure will equal the Surrounding Pressure and these two components ultimately cancel-out each other. Finally, this leaves a calculation with only components (1) Static Height, and (3) Pipework losses.

Example: Pumping Propane at 20oC with flooded suction (positive) of height of 2m.

(1) (Minimum) Static Height: 1.5m (2) Vapour pressure: At 20oC, the vapour pressure of Propane is 8.39bar and the density is 500kg/m3:

(3) Pipe-work losses. Let’s assume 0.5m (4) Surrounding Pressure: LPG is stored in a closed vessel at its vapour pressure – in which to maintain its liquid state. As above, the Vapour pressure of Propane at 20oC is 8.39bar and the density is 500kg/m3: NPSH(a) = 1-2-3+4 = 1.5m – 171.05m – 0.5m + 171.05m = 1.0m available.

In other words, when pumping LPG or any other liquid held at its boiling point, then NPSH(a) can be simplified to be Static Head minus pipework/ valve/fitting losses.

Now, if we again deduct 0.5m for safety margin(!), we are left with the need to find a pump which only requires an extremely low level of 0.5m NPSH(r) at the duty point. Such “low NPSH” pumps are different – by design – from

Conventional End-Suction centrifugal pumps. BUT LOW NPSH PUMPS DO EXIST, which removes the need to excavate the pump installation in which to create more Static Head! Low NPSH Pumps are often built on the SideChannel principle, but with some centrifugal pump staging included.

This optimised “Combination Pump” gives the benefit of (a) Low NPSH, (b) High Flow Capacity, and (c) Gas handling, which is important for passing any vapour through the pump - BEFORE the mechanical seal is damaged from poor lubrication. Pump design is another topic, which is too deep for this forum, but more information is available from the author.

For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that there is another way to reduce the NPSH required for a conventional centrifugal pump. This is by adding an Inducer to the impeller. This volumetric feed “screw” type device “induces” flow into the eye of the impeller. Arguably, inducers are designed to operate in a very precise duty (flow vs differential head) envelope and become “unstable” when the user varies the process due to temperature, demand, speed, or simple valve opening & closing.

CONCLUSIONS NPSH is a vital consideration in, both, choice of pump and system design. There are only four basic data components needed to calculate available NPSH(a) which make it a relatively easy topic to master.

Cavitation and mechanical seal damage occur when the Pump being used requires greater NPSH than is available from the system.

LPG and Boiling liquids can be treated in the same way, whereby available NPSH can be simplified to Static Head less the pipe-line losses. Both result in difficult Low NPSH conditions.

Very low NPSH is usually accommodated by Combination Side-Channel type Pumps. Alternatively, the user can give more NPSH by either raising the vessel, excavating the pump, or living with cavitation – All three alternatives are often expensive or unpractical.

For more information on this topic, or simply to discuss Liquid Centrifugal and Vacuum Pump applications please contact: Shaun Hampson, Managing Director and General Manager, Flowserve - Manchester Quick Response Centre. Europa House, Second Ave, Trafford Park, Manchester. M17 1EE. Email: SHampson@Flowserve.com.

Telephone: +44 (0)161 928 6371.

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INDUSTRY COMPLIANCE & ECONOMIC VIEWPOINT

PUMPS AND THE WEEE2 DIRECTIVE In August 2018 the WEEE2 Directive (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment) will come into force in the UK. Under the existing WEEE Directive, pumps (other than garden pumps) have NOT been included within scope. However, this first revision of the Directive has now brought into play many products that were previously out of scope, including pumps.

Following a meeting between BPMA, BEIS (Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) and the Environment Agency in July last year, which was convened to clarify whether ‘pumps’ should be within the scope of WEEE2, it was agreed that the BPMA would produce and submit its own ‘position paper’. This course of action was determined primarily because BEIS had been overwhelmed with the amount of items that required clarification, but also because BPMA was best placed of draft such a document, given its in depth knowledge of the subject matter.

As such, and having formed a dedicated Working Group to fully assess the Commission Guidance documents for both domestic and non-domestic pumps, the BPMA produced and submitted its proposals. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors, the initial draft of the ‘position paper’ was rejected by BEIS & the Environment Agency and so the BPMA have been asked to revisit certain aspects and re-submit a second draft in due course.

This re-working of the position paper will again be undertaken by the dedicated Working Group, and so anyone interested in learning how they might get involved, should make contact with Steve Schofield at the BPMA in the first instance on 0121 601 6691 or by email at s.schofield@ bpma.org.uk.

Economic viewpoint – Global and UK (January 2017) Oxford Economics Our world GDP growth forecasts are unchanged this month, at 2.6% for 2017 and 2.9% in 2018. But we expect a sizeable increase in global inflation, to 3.3% in 2017 from an estimated 2.8% in 2016, as the effect of higher oil prices feeds through.

Given these reflationary trends, we expect two increases in the Federal funds rate this year and US bond yields are likely to continue to rise. The widening of interest rate differentials between the US and the Eurozone will drive the euro down to parity with the US dollar by end-2017 for the first time since 2002.

Global indicators continue to point to a pick-up in activity towards the end of last year, driven by stronger manufacturing activity. The global manufacturing PMI rose to the highest level in almost three years in December, while the composite index – which includes services – was at a 13-month high.

World trade should be underpinned by stronger growth in the US (2.3% in 2017 and 2.5% in 2018), bolstered by the anticipated effects of President Trump’s expansive fiscal policies. That said, uncertainties around our central forecast are unusually high given the possibility of Trump implementing potentially significant tariffs and trade barriers.

Assuming Trump’s trade do not come to pass, emerging market growth on the whole will improve in 2017 but performance will differ across countries: Russia and Brazil will exit recession, but countries with weak balance of payments positions, high dollar debt and exposure to possible US protectionist actions will be at risk. In China, policymakers are moving to greater emphasis on reducing financial risks and less focus on the 6.5% GDP growth target for 2017. Continued action is also likely to dampen further depreciation of the CNY. In the UK, the most recent data has been mixed, but there looks a reasonable chance that GDP growth in Q4 may even match Q3’s 0.6% pace, bringing 2016’s outturn to 2%. Nonetheless, we expect growth to decelerate this year as consumers start to feel the impact of weaker sterling on import prices.

We have revised our Brexit assumptions. We now assume that the two-year period of exit negotiations is followed by a transitional arrangement lasting 2-3 years. This would provide breathing space to negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU. Though the MPC expects inflation to be well above the 2% target throughout the next few years, it has made clear that it would only raise interest rates if it saw clear evidence of second-round effects on wages and inflation expectations. As such, the beginning of the rate-hiking cycle looks to be some way off and we expect Bank Rate to remain at 0.25% until at least the second half of 2019.

BPMA MAINTAINS PRESSURE FOR MARKET SURVEILLANCE DELIVERY Market Surveillance is a key element of a fair and efficient single market. Its role is to ensure that products placed on the community market comply with EU regulations and do not pose any safety or environmental threats for users and the public at large.

This should ensure a level playing field and fair competition within the market as well as safeguarding the coherence of the European regulatory framework, the consistency of which depends on effective enforcement.

However, there continues to be evidence of illegal pump imports entering the UK from other countries (particularly Asia) that do not meet the strict demands of the EU Energy Related Products Directive (ErP Directive).

As such, the BPMA continues to press the National Measurement Regulatory Office (NMRO), in their role as UK Market Surveillance Authority, to take all appropriate action to ensure that such illegal pumps are removed from the market, and that all future imports are curtailed with immediate effect.

On 7th December last year, BPMA representatives again met with NMRO Executives at their headquarters in London and again conveyed its Members’ frustration that to-date no discernible progress has been made. This is despite numerous previous meetings between the two organisations, and several written assurances that market surveillance is regarded as an important issue.

During this meeting, the NMRO confirmed that several ‘suspect’ circulator pumps had now been purchased in order to be tested, although no information could be given as the source of these pumps, as this activity was another department’s responsibility. The results of the testing were initially due to be published early in 2017 but unfortunately it now looks more likely to be May 2017.

One of the key concerns raised by the BPMA is that Circulator Pumps were the first to be regulated under the ErP Directive, with many other and far more complicated pumps and pump sets to follow. It is therefore of imperative that the correct procedures are put in place now, to ensure effective surveillance across the full breadth of regulated products. The fear being that with Brexit on the horizon, the UK could become the dumping ground for cheap, non-compliant and potentially dangerous pumps.

Following this meeting, a full written appraisal was sent to Mark Prisk MP, who in his capacity of the Prime Minister’s Trade & Investment Envoy, Nordic & Baltic Nations, had previously been advised of this matter by both the BPMA and its member company, Grundfos Pumps.

As a result, Mark has in turn communicated the importance of this issue directly to The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whose intervention is to be welcomed.

The BPMA will shortly be following up on this communication to the Secretary of State, in the hope that all appropriate parties can put in place the means by which to tackle any breach in these important regulations.

In the meantime, should you come across any pump product that you believe is in breach of the ErP Directive, please contact the BPMA with the details?

Reader Enquiries to: Steve Smith,British Pump Manufacturers Association Ltd, Tel : +44 (0)121 601 6691 Email: s.smith@bpma.org.uk Web: www.bpma.org.uk

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INDUSTRY COMPLIANCE & ECONOMIC VIEWPOINT

Directives under the spotlight Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC –The public consultation on the evaluation of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, closed in December 2016 . Possible future changes affecting the pump industry are currently unknown. Discussions are ongoing on the possibility of EN 809, the harmonised safety standard for pumps to become a future international ISO standard .

ATEX 2014/34/EU - IEC standards 80079-36 & 37 have now been published and include major changes to the marking and documentation of non- electrical goods such as pumps. Pump manufacturers can now work completely to these two new standards or if they do not wish to change their documentation yet and still work to the EN 13463 series they have until 31st October 2019.

Other changes from the old 94/9/EC to the new 2014/ 34/EU have now been reflected in the Europump revised Atex Guidelines Part 1 &2.

Copies available from the BPMA WEEE2 2012/19/EU – The transition period of WEEE2 is until August 2018 however BPMA’s recent Position Paper has been rejected by Defra and the Environmental Agency with no true guidance on which products will be covered and which will not . It appears that this is a European issue with France and Germany having similar issues .

Further meetings and discussions expected.

Low Voltage 2014 /35/EU - The Low Voltage Directive is the oldest of the New Approach Directives and deals with the safety of electrical apparatus. It applies to all apparatus running on (or generating) an electrical supply in the range 50 - 1000 volts A.C. or between 75 and 1500 volts D.C. The revised Directive 2014/35/EU ( old 2006/95/EC) was transposed into National Legislation and became effective as of 20th April 2016.

The EU has now issued the attached Guidelines to assist those who need to conform to this Directive. Copies available from the BPMA Contact Steve Smith, Tel: +44 (0) 121 601 6691 E-mail: s.smith@bpma.org.uk Web: www.bpma.org.uk

BPMA & EUROPEAN SEALING ASSOCIATION SIGN MUTUAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT Established in 1941, the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association (BPMA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing the interests of UK and Irish manufacturers and suppliers of liquid pumps and other pump related equipment.

Established in 1992, the European Sealing Association is a not-forprofit trade association representing the interests of manufacturers and suppliers of sealing devices and materials across Europe.

Recognising the core values of each organisation and the fact that that they already follow very similar technical, standardisation, training, energy and environmental protocols across their respective product areas, it has been determined that a great deal of mutual benefit can be derived from such an undertaking.

The agreement will allow the exchange information between the two associations in areas of common interest affecting pumps, pump sets and sealing products , which could include but will not be restricted to: • Technical issues • Standards (UK, European and International) • Legislation information (European) • Energy and Environmental issues across Europe • Training Programmes (and their respective promotion) Having been approved by the Council of each organisation, the agreement was formally signed by BPMA President, Mr Peter Reynolds of Grundfos Pumps UK and ESA Chairman, Mr John Morton of John Crane.

Commenting on the signing, BPMA Director and CEO, Mr Steve Schofield said, “this is an exciting development for both organisations, and one which I’m sure will quickly deliver important benefits for our respective memberships, it is a further indication of our commitment to ensuring pump systems excellence across the international arena”.

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members news

ITT GOULDS PUMPS – INNOVATORS for over 160 Years introduces i-Alert2

The i-ALERT Equipment Health Monitor is a Bluetooth Smart-enabled machine health monitor that allows customers to identify potential equipment problems before they become costly failures.

ITT’s ALERT2 tracks vibration, temperature and run-time hours and wirelessly syncs the date with smartphone or tablet through the i-ALERT2 mobile app.

This condition monitor combines the latest in Bluetooth low-energy and sensor technologies commonly used in the newest consumer health and fitness trackers and smart watches. It is the first condition monitor to successfully integrate these technologies into an industrial package in a small footprint for [2.24 in. (L) by 1.54 in. (W) by 1.40 in. (H] which is half the size of a credit card. It is engineered and rated for use in a wide range of industrial environments. It is chemical resistant, rated for extreme temperatures (40 to 183 F) and is rated to operate in environments with explosive gases, dust and fibres.

With 24/7 monitoring, a wireless range of up to 100 ft and the abitlity to scan multiple i-ALERT2 devices at once with a Mobile device, customers will be able to quickly and safely inspect multiple pieces of equipment and be alerted of potential problems before they become critical failures.

Through mobile app, customers can now view real-time and historical data, diagnostic information and machines records.

This provides them with the data necessary to make informed decisions. Customers can now spend less time collecting data and more time saving problems. The i-ALERT2 is fitted as standard to Goulds ANSI and ISO Process pumps and comes with a 5 year warranty.

CONTACT 01297 639100 www.gouldspumps.com/Contact-Us | www.gouldspumps.com | www.ittproservices.com

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members news

Grundfos provide the simple way to pump replacement The Grundfos Product Center (GPC) is now well established as the ‘go to’ pump selection tool of choice for an increasing number of industry professionals. This could be because much thought and consideration went into its redesign in order to develop a pump selection tool that would make choosing the right pump solution as straightforward as possible.

This ease of selection is also true when a replacement pump is required. Simply log onto the Product Center and select the REPLACEMENT option on the home page. From here enter the name of the old pump into the Quick Search field or alternatively, you can enter the pump name and other data into the Classic Search field.

The Product Center will then display the top three replacement pump choices and you can filter your selection by choosing either the pump with the lowest purchase price, or the pump with the lowest energy consumption or the pump with the lowest total lifecycle costs.

Additional requirements, such as fluid type, lifecycle costs and evaluation criteria provide additional filtering options and will ensure that finding the best pump replacement choice is there waiting for you, whenever you need it.

Check it out for yourself at www.grundfos.co.uk or call Tel: 01525 850000 or Email: grundfosuk@grundfos.com

LabTecta® M and LabTecta® TP Following on from the success of the LabTecta® 66 range of bearing protection, AESSEAL® have announced the launch of two new products designed for the protection of bearings in electric motors and equipment with tilting pad bearings.

The NEW LabTecta ® M (Flush Mount Electric Motor Design) is intended for use as a bearing protection device on electric motors requiring flush mounted bearing isolators due to limited outboard space. This design is also available with a grounding ring to prevent premature bearing failure, which can often be as a result of electrical fluting caused by the creation of stray currents when busing variable frequency drive (VFD) motors.

Additionally and specifically designed for use with tilting pad bearings often used on heavy duty rotating equipment, the NEW LabTecta ® TP is the ideal solution. Tilting pad bearings have sectional pads on pivots that accommodate a high axial load on the equipment shaft and as such the LabTecta ® TP is designed to allow up to 0.025" axial movement.

Similar to the rest of the LabTecta ® range, both of these new labyrinth bearing protectors incorporate all of the usual fantastic benefits such as the noncontact design that ensures no wear to the shaft or sleeve and the prevention of water and dust ingress (to IP66), leaving maintenance free bearing protection for electric motors and tilting pads.

For more information on how to protect bearings, please visit the LabTecta® website www.labtecta. com.

Stuart Turner introduce Flomate iBoost, the ultimate solution to low mains water pressure

Flomate iBoost has been developed to boost the mains supply to larger properties with multiple bathrooms, using high flow combination boilers or an unvented cylinder system, where higher pressure and flow are required.

This fully integrated system combines a 200 litre cold water break tank which overcomes restricted mains water flow with a high performance multistage pump to dramatically boost pressure.

Flomate iBoost is capable of delivering water up to 4.5 bar and flow rates in excess of 100 ltrs/min and is designed to sit alongside other appliances within a kitchen or utility room or can be concealed within any standard 600mm kitchen larder cabinet.

For more information contact Stuart Turner Ltd, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Tel: 0141 637 7141 E-mail: info@spumps.co.uk Web: www.stuart-turner.co.uk

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members news

A FRESH APPROACH FOR ALBANY PUMPS BPMA member Albany Pumps has just announced a major rejuvenation of its product offering. We catch up with Managing Director, Philip Dykes, to find out more.

Tell us little about your background in the industry and your role?

I have been involved with the pumps industry for the past 35 years, the last two and a half years of which at Albany Pumps. My career in the industry has encompassed developing innovative solutions for process applications and traditional engineering excellence through my years of global experience in the pump industry. This experience has been invaluable as it enabled me to oversee the transition of Albany Pumps into an Employee- Owned organisation. The experience has been put to good use recently with a complete overhaul of the Albany Pumps product range and processes – capitalising on our amazing heritage and knowledge, but also modernising for today’s application-driven global market.

Tell us more about the changes at Albany Pumps We have an incredible heritage in pump manufacture. The business has been around for well over a 100 years and, whilst we have impressive expertise, it was time to bring the organisation up to date with today’s modern environment. The company still manufactures in Britain, from our premises in Lydney, Gloucester supplying a wide range of standard, customised and specialised positive displacement pumps – the G Range of external gear pumps, the S Range of twin screw Pumps and the L Range of internal lobe pumps. In 2015, Albany Pumps took the major step of becoming an employee-owned company thereby adding lifelong stability to our British manufacturing heritage.

What are the market sectors Albany Pumps cater to? How do Albany Pumps products suit these market sectors?

With over 100 year’s expertise serving the pumps industry, our positive displacement pumps can be found in a wide variety of markets the world over. Albany Pumps offers an extensive range of pumps for a wide variety of industrial and process applications, from bitumen, fire & foam concentrate and food industries to oil & gas and sugar production. Designed and built in the UK, Albany Pumps can be found in over 40,000 applications worldwide.

Albany Pumps has been leading the way in pump solutions for industrial processes for decades. Our G range of external pumps is available as either horizontal, vertical or tank top mounted units and covers a multitude of styles. Our Twin screw pumps are manufactured using multi pitched and multi-scrolled screws making them capable of handling wide range of viscosities. Our L Range of Internal Lobe Pumps is available in various material combinations making them suitable for a wide range of industries. With the capability to handle a range of temperatures and fluid types, our pumps have been found to work in a host of situations.

What other developments are taking place at Albany Pumps?

The company has undergone a major modernisation over the past 18 months, rejuvenating and reorganising our comprehensive pump offering in order to give our sales and support teams, agents and distributors worldwide access to an unrivalled resource. This also provides customers with a much clearer picture of our solutions for their specific requirements and a wide array of market sectors.

I’m also really pleased to be able to launch a new online resource this month – our refreshed and expanded website is now the place to be able to find and source pumps for a wide variety of needs. Searchable by industry, material and product for transfer, our new Quick Pump Search is easy to use and provides instance access to our pump range. The website will be expanded over the coming weeks and will also offer customers the ability to Configure A Pump – a hugely useful tool for engineers available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

With a full product catalogue, case study area and our latest news and press releases, the website allows users to keep fully up to speed with developments within Albany Pumps. A new innovation is for us to provide a searchable database of thousands of successful projects featuring Albany Pumps. This database is hosted on our website and is searchable by liquid, market sector and shows the installed pump, its range, style, performance and details including frame size, flow rates, viscosity, operating temperatures and so on – a very impressive resource.

Our new corporate brochure, plus a full suite of technical brochures, can be downloaded from the website, outlining our entire product family in detail and reflecting our new branding.

What is the thinking behind the rebrand?

Times change and Albany Pumps was changing too, and quickly. But, to the outside world, we still looked the same. We, therefore, knew that we needed a fresh approach. The process was a long one and started with becoming an employee-owned company in the Spring of 2015. Stemming from that process, 01299 253597 01299 252990 we now have a refreshed logo, marketing materials, new website and product alignment. And we’ve reorganised the company to focus manufacturing from our Gloucester base, and Customer Support from our operation in Bradford, UK. Electric Motors What’s next for Albany Pumps?

• 2/4/6/8/10/12 Pole The rejuvenation of our company has been an exciting development and one • 56-355 Frame which we believe will put Albany Pumps at the forefront of significant players in the industry. We now have a new board of Directors as well as a new management • Multi mount 56-200 Aluminium system in place. With a focus on improving our quality, we have upgraded ISO • Multi mount 80-280 Cast Iron 9001 quality management systems and are implementing six sigma protocols.

• Fixed feet 315-355 Cast Iron We also have new CRM and ERP manufacturing systems to help bring our • IE1, IE2, IE3, IE4 Efficiency rated customers the benefit of better quality products at more competitive prices and motors much shorter delivery lead times. With the reorganisation of the manufacturing • Megawatt Motors facility, we anticipate ex-stock delivery for standard products and 6-8 weeks on • Increased output IE1 and IE2 more specialised pumps. Our aim is to make sure that we have an appropriate • 1ph motors 56-112 frame solution for every type of pump requirement. With this, Albany Pumps is looking • 1ph motors 230v/110v to a bright future in 2017.

• 60hz 1ph motors on request For more information on Albany Pumps and its range of pump products, • ATEX EExde Zone 1 71-355 frame please call Albany Pumps direct on +44 (0) 1594 842275 or visit www.

• ATEX Zone 2/22 56-355 frame albany-pumps.co.uk.

TEC ELECTRIC MOTORS

• ATEX Zone 21 & ATEX 1ph • Brake motors, retro brake fitting • Two speed Dual & Tap wound • Special voltage, special shaft • Vector encoder motors • Forced ventilation motors

Gearboxes

• In-line helical gearboxes • Right angle bevel helical gearboxes • Right angle worm gearboxes • Mechanical Speed Variators • Slow speed combination units

Inverters

• TECDrive Inverter - IP66 & IP20 • Lenze Inverter - IP65, IP31 & IP20 www.tecmotors.co.uk TEC NORTH - TEC SCOTLAND - TEC WALES - TEC WORCESTER

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For further information relating to the BPMA please contact British Pump Manufacturers Association, National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich B70 6PY, UK Tel: 0121 601 6350 Fax: 0121 601 6373 E-mail: enquiry@bpma.org.uk or visit our website: www.bpma.org.uk The BPMA takes no responsability for the statements, claims or opinions expressed in this Newsletter

members news

The Grundfos SCALA2 is second to none GRUNDFOS SCALA2 is a new compact, variable speed, water booster pump that has been specifically designed and built to deliver perfect water pressure to wherever it is needed in the home.

Recently launched and WRAS approved, each unit is a fully integrated water booster pump that will provide the perfect water pressure to up to 8 water outlets – even with multiple taps and showers running at the same time. The SCALA2 combines the pump, motor, tank, sensor, drive and non-return valve in one neat package.

The units also offer intelligent pump control as they adjust their operation to ensure perfect water pressure at all times. Their compact size means a minimal footprint and enables them to be fitted into a small space. They also offer great value for money and with a noise level of 47 dB(A) in typical use, SCALA2 is one of the quietest boosters in its class with just one variant that is suitable for all domestic applications.

SCALA2 is a whole house booster designed for residential SCALA2 comes equipped with intelligent pump control, and the integrated sensor detects if the inlet pressure varies or if there are several taps open and immediately tells the pump to boost the pressure. And it happens so fast that you won’t notice any change in your water pressure at all.

So when the question is pressure boosting – the Grundfos SCALA2 has the answer.

Visit www.grundfos.co.uk to learn more or call Tel: 01525 850000.

Expertise is instrumental to distribution success The business of supplying pumps across a diverse range of industries is never easy but Triark Pumps has survived a rapidly changing market place and a global recession and continues to thrive.

The firm’s origins stretch back more than 30 years to when Tom Rozée, father of the current Managing Director, David Rozée, was looking to apply his expertise following many years in the chemical industry. Using his mechanical engineering background he set-up Triark as a consulting business working for chemical companies. Then one day a resins firm asked for some Wilden pump spares and that was the start of an unbroken ‘three decade’ relationship with the pump sector.

Tom succeeded because he was able to offer prices others weren’t matching and the business grew from there. During the late 90s Triark was operating as pump experts rather than engineering consultants and it was at this time that Tom encouraged his son David to join the firm.

David had been working in the City as MD in a German Bank and although switching from the financial markets to engineering had it challenges, the hard work and dedication paid off, and the business flourished.

Triark had been drawn into the air-operated double diaphragm pump world by the resins company but continued to supply other equipment to leading food, paper and chemical companies. However by 2003 pumps and pump spares made up 100% of the company’s turnover.

The approach was to stock all the primary brands of AODD pump so that Triark could offer any customer the best solution for their particular application, rather than be a single-branded company. As such, some two thirds of its turnover is now in diaphragm pumps and more than half of that is in supplying spare parts.

Over the years the company has had to adapt its way of interacting with customers but has always stuck to a product portfolio in which it has expertise, rather than offering a ‘jack of all trades’ approach.

Today, about 60 per cent of Triark’s enquiries are driven by the need for new, replacement or repaired pumps, while the other 40 per cent are looking for engineering solutions. As a major pump distributor the company supplies all of the leading brands and so has to have a deep knowledge of each and every one of them; a knowledge that is now inherent across its small but passionate team.

The business ethos is simple: add value by offering the right solution, in an open, fair and honest way.

Triark Pumps are delighted to have joined the BPMA and can be reached via its website at www.tri-ark.com.

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members news

New WatsonMarlow 530 pumps ensure safe, accurate & intuitive operation for industrial & environmental applications Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, the world leader in peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies, has recently introduced its new 530 peristaltic cased pump for metering and transfer applications such as surface coating, printing and lime addition. The cost effective pump offers easier operation and greater versatility coupled with high levels of accuracy.

New features The new 530 models meet the demands of rugged and often remote environments and are built to operate 24/7 without interruption.

Furthermore, it is possible to quickly check control parameters and avoid expensive errors with visual status through a bright colour display, while an intuitive menu structure makes for confident and easy operator interaction.

Users will also benefit from the 530 models’ integrated PROFIBUS networking capabilities.

With two-way, real-time communications, the 530 range offers increased diagnostic capability and faster response. This helps to optimise process control and minimise plant downtime.

Drive and pumphead options The versatile Watson-Marlow 530 range of process pumps offers four drive options and nine pumphead variants. This enables users to choose from manual operation to fully automated control, including the ability to link up to 16 pumps and provide real-time communication.

The pumps deliver flow rates from 0.0001 ml/ min to 3.5 litre/min. It is the pumphead which determines both the flow rate and the pressure that can be achieved to match the needs of the specific process. 530 pumps can be fitted with either continuous tubing pumpheads, or with LoadSure tube element pumpheads for

pressures up to 7 bar.

Maximum process uptime Meeting the demands of rugged and often remote environments, the new 530 pumps deliver maximum process uptime and are built to operate 24/7 without interruption.

In addition, the 530 pumps have no expensive seals, valves or diaphragms, and do not suffer gas locking, corrosion or clogging. Furthermore, they require just a single spare part inventory – the tube.

Pump and tubing have equal importance As the only company to manufacture both the cased pumps and the peristaltic tubing, WatsonMarlow customers can be sure than their new pump will work right first time – and every time.

For the new 530 models, the company’s long life and chemical resistant Marprene is the ideal choice for industrial applications. Marprene industrial grade thermoplastic elastomer tubing offers wide chemical compatibility and long life, along with low gas permeability.

Error-free tube loading Depending on a user’s process needs, the 530 models can feature LoadSure tube elements, which fit into position for simple, error-free tube loading. Using the patented LoadSure D-connectors and easy-grip clutched rotor, the tube element can be changed in less than one minute without the need for special skills.

For more information contact Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, Falmouth, Cornwall.

Tel: 01326 370370 E-mail: info@wmftg.co.uk Web: www.wmftg.com

Motors | Automation | Energy | Transmission & Distribution | Coatings

New legislation, be aware!

Energy efficient motors and drives for all applications available now.

From January 2017, in compliance with the EU Directive, all new electric motors with a rated output of 0.75 kW to 375 KW sold should not be less than IE3 efficient, or meet the IE2 efficiency level if equipped with a variable speed drive, this extends the scope of the directive from the previous 7.5 kW lower limit.

At WEG, we have a wide range of IE2, IE3 and IE4 energy efficient motors and variable speed drives available in stock and ready for delivery.

www.weg.net

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EDITORIAL ARTICLES

Hygienic Standards & Pumps There are numerous regulations which apply to pumps in food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing, namely; EHEDG, 3A, BfR, FDA, USP Class VI, and EC1935/2004. However, which ones apply to a particular process or food product and, as some can increase the cost of the pump quite considerably, consideration has to be as to which is the most appropriate. Peter Carfrae and Malcolm Walker of AxFlow take a look at the various hygiene standards and their implication for pump sand their users.

Although there is still no legal obligation on food manufacturers to use hygienically certified fluid handling equipment, the ever increasing costs both financially and potential harm to a brand’s reputation resulting from hygienically defective products, has meant that never before has there been so much pressure on food manufacturers to utilise the correct hygienic process equipment in the sight of the law.

There are two basic groups of approval, those that apply to material compatibility and those to the actual design of the pump. Taking those concerning material compatibility, there several globally recognised approval bodies the oldest being the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and which is still seen worldwide as the basic benchmark for material compatibility.

However, the new kid on block in the guise of EC 1935/2004 has by and large superseded FDA. The reason for this being that EC 1935/2004 has wider and stricter criteria. For instance, it requires that compounds must be examined to more specific tests than FDA and requires traceability, whereas FDA does not necessarily do this. The implication of this is that not all FDA materials will meet EC1935/2004 requirements.

A third lesser known approval that should be mentioned in connection with FDA and EC 1935/2004 is the German (BfR) system which is widely used for some rubber compounds in the EU because there are gaps in both FDA and EC 1935/2004 when it comes to such compounds.

Lastly, there is USP Class VI which some cite in respect to food and beverage production. The US Pharmacopeia (USP) and the National Formulary (USP NF)USP Class IV approvals are concerned with toxicity from direct contact with a material and a material’s resistance to biological activity with respect to the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Although it could be argued that there is some relevance to food and beverage production, USP approval is not actually applicable as direct contact from a pump’s component should not occur, unless something quite catastrophic has happened. Furthermore, cleaning along with pump design is considered the methods by which bacterial growth is avoided in the food industry.

This brings us neatly onto the fact that food compatible materials in themselves are not

Wilden Saniflo HS air operated double diaphragm pump offers a gentle pumping action and easy cleaning. sufficient in the majority of food production applications to make a pump hygienically acceptable, as its design and cleaning regime must be taken into account.

HYGIENIC DESIGN Although you don’t need to use hygienically designed pumps, they need to be clean and the amount of time spent cleaning a pumps depends to a large extent on their design. Hygienic design aims to reduce the possibility for the build-up of bacteria by minimising crevices and dead areas and take into account the ease with which the pump can be disassembled for manual cleaning and the nature of material surfaces. This means that it may be less expensive to use a higher priced hygienically certified pump design when you factor in labour costs for maintenance.

Hygienic requirements are typically addressed at the design and development stages of a pump’s components as this will remove the need to make modifications or upgrade later in the development cycle, or after equipment has entered service. For pump and manufacturers it is essential to have the design tested against given requirements. The hygienic design of equipment is subsequently assessed and the clean ability of the equipment can be tested.

There are three main design standards that

apply to hygienic design: The CE mark i.e.

The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, A-3 and EHEDG. The Machinery Directive sets out very clearly the design considerations that need to be taken into account for a hygienically clean pump, but ultimately the manufacturer self certifies the pump so even if the they meet the additional hygiene requirements formulated in the European Standard EN1672-2 there is no absolute guarantee that the pump is biologically safe. Therefore, manufacturers can supplement the CE mark with certification from A-3 and EHEDG. The significant difference is that both these certification bodies go into much more detail having different requirements for different applications, and actually test the product with respect to cleanability rather than just relying on a risk assessment.

The American A-3 organisation has existed since the 1920’s and originally concentrated on the dairy and egg processing industries. Since then it has widen edits scope to cover other applications. EHEDG is essentially the European version ofA-3 in the same way that EC 1935/2004 is the European version of FDA. Likewise it’s generally considered more comprehensive than A-3. However, both organisations have made considerable efforts over the last few years to harmonise their standards.

Selecting the most appropriate pump for an application has to be a two-way decision made by the end user and the pump supplier. The pump supplier has to recognise that the end user will know exactly what hygiene standards have to be met in respect of their products and defer to their greater knowledge. Similarly, the end user must recognise that the pump supplier will be expert in fluid handling technology and must be able to offer a pump that fully complies with relevant standard(s) and cleaning regimes.

The breadth of pump types that are available for food and drink processing applications is considerable and many of these technologies compete with each other. Thus, it makes good sense to review the different technologies either by talking directly with appropriate manufacturers or with a distributer that has a range of appropriate technologies within its portfolio and can provide unbiased advice.

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EDITORIAL ARTICLES

NEW PRODUCTION PROCESSES PROMISE EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUMP INDUSTRY

By Christoph P. Pauly - Press officer, KSB Aktiengesellschaft Since the end of the 19th century, industry has focused on products that can be mass-produced. Whether classic transfer lines or automated machining centres were used, the parameters were always the same: It was not worth investing in expensive automated systems unless these were justified by large lot sizes. The look of a product was determined by those who bought or sold it in large quantities.

However, in order to offer users optimum products designed to fulfil individual 1930s. The drawback of this system for the manufacturer is that it requires highly efficient complexity management in order to be economically successful. The standardised Etanorm water pumps alone are available for more than 400 different casing sizes. They are complemented by a wide range of material and shaft seal variants. The current average lot size for the Etanorm production is approx. 1.4, and a look at today’s KSB Web-Shop, reveals just how many different centrifugal pump configuration options are available to customers.

And yet the pump factory of the future will go even further. It will allow many deviations from the standardised design, both large and small.

While the possibilities of today’s conventional production methods are limited in terms of economic viability and technical feasibility, new technologies will allow additional functionalities to be offered capable of transforming a pump’s potential. In the future, production of individualised, tailor-made pumps will require only minimal engineering at each step from contract award to order processing to final commissioning. In extreme cases, a single unit of such a tailor-made pump might be built for a specific system requiring a lot size of “one”.

However, tailor-made pumps should not be confused with untested prototypes. The wealth of experience gained while producing successful models combined with modern development tools make such tailor-made pumps reliable and efficient.

Typically, the demands placed on this type of one-off product are somewhat contradictory.

While quality and reliability must be excellent, manufacturing costs must stay low and delivery periods short. And strong competition among pump manufacturers means that the latter are becoming more and more important.

Laser melting is one of several patternless manufacturing methods which could play an

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important role in the future. The method involves building up the element to be manufactured layer by layer via micro-welding using metal powder (Fig. 2). The result is a physically dense component with excellent contour accuracy produced in a powder bed (Fig. 3). The geometric design data is generated via CAD software, and the 3D printing process itself is completely silent.

CONTAINING ENERGY...

The procedure excels through its extremely economical use of energy and materials, since only the metal actually needed to create the product is thermally treated and consumed.

Internal calculations at KSB have shown that savings in materials of 50 to 70 % are possible when existing parts are newly calculated, newly designed and optimised for the respective production process. This is due to the fact that almost no waste is generated in 3D printing and all excess powder can be reused. The entire production process takes place in a controlled inert gas atmosphere which ensures that the materials sensitive to oxidation during remelting are protected. A final product created via 3D printing differs from its conventionally manufactured counterpart in its metallographic microstructure, but not in terms of the metal powder composition which was used to weld it together.

Since the end of 2014, two powerful laser melting systems have been in operation at KSB’s Pegnitz factory (Fig. 4). The company’s materials specialists are examining the potential of 3D printing for development and production by trialling the production of various suitable metal components using CAD data. One question the specialists are still looking to answer is whether the new metal powder-based workpieces offer the same strength and material properties as those produced using traditional methods.

As laser melting is a new field of work in pump and valve production, it is also necessary to

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prepare new design guidelines. However, the level of design freedom and the availability of components at any place and any time encourage new approaches to development, production and logistics.

Today’s 3D printing method still suffer from technological and economic limitations in terms of the size of printable parts and the speed of production. But the world’s largest laser melting systems already feature build chambers with volumes of 160 litres. And given how rapidly this technology is developing, larger printers will not be long coming. The cost efficiency of this manufacturing method is essentially determined by the quantity of molten material required.

The manufacture of large, dense parts is thus only economically viable for parts unavailable by other means or prototypes required for the design process.

This has already proved successful for applications including the production of spare parts for old cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes.

For the pump manufacturer, exploiting the advantages of the new production process represents an important step towards Industry 4.0 and the maximisation of its potential in design and production. Some of 3D printing’s strengths are already clear: It excels in producing small, individual components deviating from the standard or large quantities of parts when they can be manufactured in a single process (Fig. 5).

Very large, dense components will in the long run continue to be produced via other manufacturing methods.

Exactly which innovations the freedom offered by 3D printing will herald remains one of the most interesting questions for the future. The availability of CAD data allows the production of parts at any place in the world. This means that laser melting will definitely have an impact on the availability of components worldwide and will allow pumps to be individualised in a way that we can hardly imagine today.

Albany Pumps A N E M P LOY E E O W N E D CO M PA N Y

Fig. 2: Long exposure image of the printing of a component in the powder bed of a laser melting system (© KSB AG)

A fresh approach from Albany Pumps

Fig. 3: Four physically dense components with excellent contour accuracy printed in a laser melting system (© KSB AG)

Albany Pumps makes a wide range of reliable and robust standard, customised and specialised positive displacement pumps. If you require an external gear pump, a twin screw pump or an internal lobe pump, we think you’ve found the right place: • 100+ years of experience and British manufacture • Employee ownership with a Trust to guarantee longevity • CNC production plant in Lydney, Gloucestershire • Service and repair centre in Bradford, West Yorkshire • Standards for every industry ATEX, CE, BSI, VdS and API • 100+ countries sold to worldwide Fig. 4: Since the end of 2014, KSB has installed two laser melting systems at its Pegnitz factory (© KSB AG)

• Over 10,000 proven application stories NEW

BROCHURE

NEW

WEBSITE

NEW

ONLINE QUICK PUMP GUIDE

NEW

CONFIGURE A PUMP SERVICE

Download your essential guide to Albany Pumps now: www.albany-pumps.co.uk

Contact Sales on +44 (0) 1594 842 275 sales@albany-pumps.co.uk Fig. 5: A battery of test specimens produced in a laser melting system during a single printing process (© KSB AG)

www.albany-pumps.co.uk

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