UK based manufacturer of printed bags and paper wrapping Stonehouse Paper & Bag Mills recently installed Watson-Marlow’s 521 duplex close coupled pump to handle its water based inks smoothly and accurately whilst ensuring consistent levels of output. As well as producing standard plain and printed paper bags and wrappings, the company also provides a bespoke service and therefore needed a solution that could cope with changing customer requirements.
According to Watson-Marlow, the 521 is a rugged peristaltic pump designed for demanding duties. The use of a single tube from source to delivery prevents any of the product from coming into contact with the pumping mechanism. It is also said to make cleaning simple and effective, removing all traces of product when flushed through to eliminate contamination. With no valves, seals or glands, there is nothing to complicate processes or add unwanted replacement costs, the company states.
The pressurized flow provided by the pump is said to have integrated well with Stonehouse’s existing system and eliminated doctor blade chamber problems.
Managing director Jonathon Daniels comments: “It’s a great application for this environment, providing the steady and constant flow that the doctor blade chamber requires. The pump’s reversible feature is also really beneficial for cleaning, as it allows ink to be pulled back from the chamber blades, minimizing wasted ink and reducing cleaning and the resulting downtime.”
Since implementing the pumps the company has eliminated the problems of poor flow control, inconsistent start-up, valve clogging and lengthy downtime. With flow rates of 2.6 litre/min, the pump’s low shear even flow also prevents the ink from foaming.
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